Portman Initiative to Strengthen Air Force Research Laboratory Included in NDAA Conference Bill

Press Release

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) welcomed the inclusion of his amendment language to the newly-drafted National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference bill to improve the Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) hiring authority. The amendment gives AFRL, located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), increased authority to hire science, technology, engineering, and math bachelor's and master's degree students directly into the lab.

"I'm glad this provision was included in the conference bill," said Portman. "We know we need to be able to attract STEM graduates into AFRL and our other defense labs, and being able to expose them to work at the labs while still students will be an important hiring tool."

In last year's NDAA, Portman introduced and had language accepted into law that expanded AFRL's ability to hire those with bachelor's degrees in STEM fields as well as created senior technical managers within the lab. Portman held a hearing on this issue in June 2014 in his Federal Workforce subcommittee and discussed it first-hand with AFRL leadership when visiting WPAFB in August 2014. This latest legislative language will allow the lab to attract promising candidates while still students and hire them in a temporary position with the opportunity for follow-on employment.

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