At a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith said Congress and the Department of Defense must overhaul a slow acquisition system, and Michael Duffy, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, told lawmakers the department is pursuing reforms including incentives for speed, use of commercial authorities and workforce changes. "The United States faces the most dangerous security environment since World War II," Rogers said, arguing that the Speed Act will "cut through layers of red tape and deliver for the warfighter at a speed and scale." Smith echoed the need for change and urged continued partnership between Congress and DOD.

Why it matters: Committee leaders and the senior DOD acquisition official framed acquisition reform as necessary for deterrence and operational readiness. The Speed Act and NDAA language aim to shorten timelines that witnesses described as stretching from years to months, expand authorities for commercial solutions and empower program executives.

Committee leaders described elements of the Speed Act cited in testimony: shortening requirements timelines from nearly three years to as few as 90 days, giving program executive officers greater budget and term stability, prioritizing commercial solutions and creating a Defense Industrial Resilience Consortium to address supply chain fragility. Duffy described department priorities as "deliver[ing] capability at speed and scale, rebuild[ing] a more resilient defense industrial base, reform[ing] outdated processes, and empower[ing] our acquisition workforce to operate with agility and confidence." He said the department is increasing use of authorities such as commercial solutions openings, other transaction authorities, middle tier acquisition and the software acquisition pathway.

Concerns about oversight and institutional risk surfaced during the hearing. Representative Guiramendi warned against eliminating internal review organizations that examine cost, schedule and performance; he urged caution before removing oversight layers that exist to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. Multiple members and witnesses stressed the need to retain rigorous program reviews even as the department reduces bureaucratic friction.

Committee members pressed DOD to commit to better communications and continued consultation as NDAA provisions are finalized. Duffy agreed to work closely with the committee. Several witnesses and members emphasized that culture and incentives in the acquisition workforce must change so that taking calculated risks is supported by leadership rather than punished.

The committee plans continued oversight and collaboration as NDAA language advances and as the department implements its initial acquisition reforms.

Less critical details: Witnesses and members also discussed related topics including munitions surge capacity, coproduction with allies, and workforce training, which the department linked as complementary to acquisition reforms.