Today, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed S. 1071, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26 NDAA).
“We stand tall with America’s brave servicemembers — and now we’re delivering for them,”said Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04).
“By passing the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, we are giving our troops the pay raise they earned while advancing President Trump’s peace through strength agenda to keep America unmatched on the world stage. Together, we are sending a message to adversaries, like Russia and Communist China, that we will remain the most lethal fighting force on Earth.
“We’re also building a national security corridor from St. Louis to Wichita — with Kansas City rising as a powerhouse of our defense industrial base. We were proud to stand with our troops to pass this NDAA.”
Background:
The FY26 NDAA: (Courtesy of the House Armed Services Committee)
Enhances peace through strength as part of a generational investment in America’s national defense. Along with the One Big, Beautiful Bill, the NDAA ensures the U.S. military remains the strongest in the world. It builds the fighting force of the future by prioritizing innovation, lethality, and readiness.
Fundamentally reforms defense acquisition by streamlining the process, cutting red tape, and refocusing its primary mission—getting our war fighters what they need when they need it.
Improves servicemembers quality of life by providing a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers and improves housing, education, and access to childcare for military families.
Strengthens American deterrence by investing in the capabilities needed to maintain a strong U.S. posture by bolstering nuclear deterrence, expanding missile defense, and countering adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Expedites innovation to warfighters by ensuring our armed forces have the capabilities they need to prevail in the wars of tomorrow by prioritizing cutting edge technologies like hypersonics and autonomous robotics.
Revitalizes the defense industrial base by expanding U.S. production capacity and providing certainty to contractors, which will help rebuild the shrinking defense industrial base while encouraging new, innovative entrants.
To support the Fourth District, the FY26 NDAA:
Authorizes up to $127,600,000 for projects at Whiteman Air Force Base related to the B-21 Stealth Raider, which will replace the B-2.
Includes provisions to protect the new Fort Leonard Wood Hospital by ensuring greater congressional oversight when the Defense Health Agency (DHA) considers changing the status of base hospitals and requiring DHA to report to Congress on staffing issues at its facilities.
Authorizes increased funding new Joint Assault Bridges (JABs), which are used to train servicemembers at Fort Leonard Wood. The JAB is essential to meet the Army’s focus on flexible and maneuverable combat formations of the future, providing Army divisions the ability to traverse gaps and deliver maximum armor and firepower to the battlefield.
Authorizes $86,500,000 for construction of a microgrid and backup power at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant.
Supports the growth of the Kansas City National Security Campus by designating it as a Nuclear Weapons Production Facility, putting it on the same level as other sites that manufacture parts of U.S. nuclear weapons.
