HR-8417 : Still Just a Bill

The "Rural Installation Job Protection Act" (H.R. 8417) aims to provide Congress with advance notice regarding Department of Defense (DoD) contract cancellations or terminations that could significantly impact employment at remote or isolated military installations. Key provisions include:

• Notification Requirement: The Secretary of Defense must notify Congress at least 30 days before cancelling or terminating a contract if it involves:
  • A reduction of 50 or more contractor employees at a remote or isolated installation, or
  • A reduction of 100 or more total contractor employees, including those at remote or isolated installations.
• Waiver Authority: The Secretary of Defense can waive the 30-day notice requirement if it's deemed to be in the interest of national security. If a waiver is granted, notification must be submitted to Congress within one week of the contract cancellation or termination.
• Definitions:
  • "Remote or isolated installation" is defined by reference to existing policy under Section 565 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.
  • "Remote or isolated installation contractor employee" means an employee of a contractor who provides goods or services to a remote or isolated installation and lives in the same geographic area.

In short, this bill requires the Department of Defense to provide Congress with advance warning of contract changes that could result in job losses at smaller and more remote military facilities.