The INSIDER daily digest -- June 25, 2020

This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news from the House Armed Services Committee "chairman's mark" of the fiscal year 2021 defense policy bill, as well as coverage of the Senate Armed Services Committee's version of the legislation.

We start off with the House "chairman's mark" of the FY-21 defense authorization bill, which Inside Defense obtained:

House defense leader proposes $1B for Pentagon 'pandemic preparedness' fund

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) is proposing $1 billion for a new "pandemic preparedness" fund for the Pentagon to conduct medical research and bolster small businesses critical to national security.

House committee's $3.5B Pacific deterrence plan comes into view

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) is proposing a $3.5 billion plan to deter the Chinese military and reassure U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region, according to documents obtained by Inside Defense.

Now on to our coverage of the Senate version:

Senate defense legislation primes pump on U.S. industrial policies to counter China

The Senate is advancing legislation to force Pentagon and White House leadership to consider sweeping industrial policy actions in the coming years to boost the resiliency of U.S. supply chains, as lawmakers remain concerned about an overreliance on China.

Senate panel pumps the breaks on MDA's 'layered' homeland defense, demands details

The Senate Armed Services Committee is proposing legislation that would withhold support for adopting ballistic missile defense systems originally designed for regional missions to protect the U.S. homeland in a new "layered" architecture.

Senate authorizers propose extra $65M to push HAWC to the battlefield

The Senate Armed Services Committee's mark of the fiscal year 2021 defense policy bill recommends authorizing an extra $65 million to fund the Air Force's scramjet-powered hypersonic missile program at a higher development level that could bring the system closer to operational use.

New bill repeals legislation requiring contractors cover costs of lost bid protests

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill that would repeal a previous provision requiring large defense contractors to reimburse the Pentagon for the cost of processing losing bid protests.

Senate panel moves to limit funding for IVAS until Army delivers report

The Senate Armed Services Committee in its mark of the fiscal year 2021 defense policy bill says it would limit the use of funds for the Integrated Visual Augmentation System until the Army secretary submits a report subsequent to the completion of operational testing.

Senate panel aims to zero out R&D funding for new amphibious ships

Senate authorizers are seeking to cut the Navy's requested research and development funding for two new amphibious ships.

Senate authorizers cut major Navy USV programs over 'excess' buys without testing

Senate authorizers in their mark of the next defense policy bill recommend cutting funding for the Navy's Medium and Large Unmanned Surface Vessel research and development efforts.

Senate panel proposes 'interim' GBI with RKV-equivalent warhead fielded by 2026

The Senate Armed Services Committee is proposing legislation mandating the Defense Department develop an "interim" Ground-based Interceptor capability to upgrade the current homeland ballistic missile defense fleet and field 20 of the new guided missiles in currently empty Alaska silos by the mid-2020s, a project that -- if enacted -- could siphon funds from the Missile Defense Agency's priorities.

Some defense business news:

Redwire, backed by private equity, acquires Made In Space

New space technology company Redwire said this week it has acquired Made In Space, which provides on-orbit space manufacturing technologies.

And last but certainly not least, the head of Air Combat Command spoke at an online event this week:

ACC Commander: New training concept could allow USAF to repurpose some F-22s for combat, red air

As the Air Force works to prove out a new concept of operations for fighter pilot training, the service is considering repurposing a portion of its F-22 training fleet for operational and adversary air roles, according to the head of Air Combat Command.