The INSIDER daily digest -- July 6, 2020

By Thomas Duffy / July 6, 2020 at 2:30 PM

Today’s INSIDER Daily Digest includes news on a Senate Huawei ban, the Army’s MQ-1 Gray Eagle UAV, congressional action on the Space Force and the Army’s simulation program.

An amendment to the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill filed this month would delay the statutory ban on federal contractors using products and services from Huawei, ZTE and other Chinese technology companies until August 2021:

Senate proposal to delay Huawei ban faces stiff opposition from China hawks

U.S. industry is urging lawmakers to delay a looming ban on the government contracting with companies that use certain Chinese products, but it's unclear whether a Congress keen on taking a hard line against China will consider the proposal.

Congress is pushing back after the Army's fiscal year 2021 budget request showed zeroed-out procurement funding for the Gray Eagle:

House, Senate lawmakers concerned with temporary halt, lack of funding for Army's MQ-1 Gray Eagle

House and Senate lawmakers are pushing to fund the Army's MQ-1 Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system after concerns that a temporary halt to the program will result in increased costs and requirement delays.

The Air Force produced earlier this year a draft report on Space Force acquisition, but lawmakers aren’t satisfied:

House panel's mark raises concerns about Space Force acquisition reform proposals

The House Armed Services Committee's version of the fiscal year 2021 defense policy bill, which the panel approved last night, includes several amendments related to space acquisition programs -- including one that questions the Air Force's efforts to craft an alternate Space Force acquisition system.

House lawmakers included a provision in defense authorization legislation seeking a briefing on the service’s plan "to continue to integrate virtual training and simulations into its future force design decisions”:

House panel pushes Army briefing on simulations, virtual training

The House Armed Services Committee is directing the Army to submit a briefing on virtual training and simulations through legislation passed yesterday.

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