Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)
Bacon Praises Passage of FY26 Defense Policy Bill
Washington – Yesterday, Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Cyber, Information Technology and Innovation Subcommittee, voted with his House colleagues to support final passage of S.1071, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan majority of 312 to 112, and is now headed to the Senate and then to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law. This essential annual legislation, which contains multiple sections authored by Rep. Bacon, authorizes defense spending and sets the policy and priorities for the Armed Forces.
“My colleagues in the House have demonstrated that when we cooperate, we can pass bipartisan legislation that benefits our national security. Once again, we have maintained the trust of the American people by passing the annual defense authorization,” said Rep Bacon. “There are significant highlights in this bill for the 2nd Congressional District of Nebraska, and the entire country. This year’s NDAA revolutionizes the way that the Pentagon purchases weapons systems for our warfighters while also taking care of our all-volunteer force and their families. I commend Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, my fellow Members of the Committee and Congress, and all the staff who worked tirelessly to bring this bill to the finish line.”
Highlights from the FY 2026 bill include:
- Authorizes over $900 billion for national defense with significant investments in the defense industrial base, munitions production, and critical technologies, including artificial intelligence, space, autonomous systems, and hypersonic weapons, as well as a 3.8% pay raise for servicemembers
- Sets major reforms to the defense acquisition system to speed development and fielding of modern technologies while reducing bureaucracy
- Preserves U.S. force posture in Europe and authorizes additional security assistance to the Baltic Nations and Ukraine
- Fully funds modernization of the U.S strategic nuclear deterrent as well as scientific capabilities and nuclear command, control, and communications architectures
- Boosts compensation for our servicemembers, invests in barracks improvements, reforms on-base housing, and supports childcare for military families
- Protects senior military leaders from being dismissed or forced to resign without explanation
- Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide additional information and transparency to Congress on the counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean
In addition, this year’s NDAA contains numerous legislative proposals sponsored by Rep. Bacon, including:
- Authorization of support to Ukraine and the Baltic Nations of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia to counter Russian aggression
- Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide an acquisition and fielding strategy for the F-47 advanced fighter aircraft program
- Creates a program of record for a combined military-civilian medical surge capability
- Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network
- Directs significant security upgrades to DoD mobile telecommunications
- Directs the major defense acquisitions programs to prepare digital manufacturing transition plans for critical components
- Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the Center for Strategic Deterrence and WMD Studies at the National Defense University
- Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to produce a study on the future of the Airborne Operations Center
- Authorizes $15 million for USSTRATCOM’s nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) rapid engineering architecture collaboration hub (REACH) initiative at Offutt AFB
The text of the NDAA and related documents can be found here. Watch Rep. Bacon’s remarks on the FY26 NDAA here.
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