GitHub has advocated for the inclusion of open source provisions in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by writing a letter to the United States Senate and House of Representatives. These provisions, supported by bipartisan senators Mike Rounds and Elizabeth Warren, would mandate that unclassified, non-defense software developed for the Department of Defense (DoD) be open source unless otherwise specified. This aligns with the DoD's historical use and creation of open source software and recent initiatives like Code.mil, which aims to modernize software practices through open source engagement. The broader adoption of open source by U.S. federal agencies, including the NSA and NASA, exemplifies a trend toward using such software to enhance efficiency, innovation, and security. GitHub's 2017 Octoverse report underscores the role of open source as essential infrastructure, embraced by developers and companies worldwide to boost innovation and security, and highlights how government involvement with open source can bolster economic competitiveness and national security while saving taxpayers money.