news

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) voted to pass the final version of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the annual legislative vehicle that authorizes the policies, programs, and spending for the Department of War. Rep. Pfluger secured major wins in this year's bill, delivering for both Texas's 11th Congressional District and America's national security.

As a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, fighter pilot with nearly two decades of experience, and Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Rep. Pfluger has been a leading voice in ensuring the NDAA fully equips the Department of War to carry out President Trump's Peace Through Strength agenda.

To applaud its passage, Rep. Pfluger released the following statement:

"Today's battlefield is evolving fast, and the United States must act with bold, decisive action to outpace our adversaries at every turn. The FY2026 NDAA delivers on that mission. It implements President Trump's Peace Through Strength agenda, restores America's military dominance, and ensures we are prepared to deter and, if necessary, win any potential future conflict with our adversaries. 

"This bill codifies 45 of President Trump's key Executive Orders and legislative proposals and fully funds next-generation autonomous weapons, new battle force ships, and cutting-edge aircraft and machinery. It also refocuses the Pentagon on lethality and warfighting by eliminating DEI programs, banning Critical Race Theory, and ending the misguided notion that promotions should be based on anything other than merit. It secures America's borders, builds a more ready and capable fighting force, and supports our service members with a 3.8% pay raise, better housing and education, and expanded access to health care and child care.

"And importantly, this bill recognizes the indispensable role of hardworking Texans in our national defense by funding major dormitory upgrades at Goodfellow Air Force Base and supporting Fort Hood's Smart Water Grid and Central Energy Plant. I applaud the House passage of this critical legislation and look forward to seeing it signed into law."

The bill includes several of Rep. Pfluger's top military enhancement priorities, including:

·     COUNTER Act (Sec. 1707): A modified version of Rep. Pfluger's COUNTER Act expands existing 10 U.S.C. 130i counter‑UAS authorities to encompass a broader range of DOD installations and operations. This bill has 39 bipartisan cosponsors in the House and 38 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate. 

·     Restoring Air Dominance Report (Sec. 344): Requires the Secretary of the Air Force to provide Congress with a comprehensive report on declining aircraft readiness, mission‑capable rates, and related drivers across the Air Force fleet. 

·     Link-16 Section 228 Changes (Sec. 216): Builds on prior NDAA authorities to expand and streamline the use and modernization of Link‑16 across military training and operational airspace. 

·     Reserve Forces Mobilization Study (Sec. 383): Directs the Department of War to assess America's mobilization and sustainment readiness for a major Indo-Pacific conflict, with a focus on the reserve forces, logistics, vulnerabilities, allied coordination, and civilian skill inventories. 

·     Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Update (Sec. 1062): Authorizes additional categories of surplus Defense Department firearms to be made available through the Civilian Marksmanship Program for training and firearms safety education. 

The bill also included several of Rep. Pfluger's top priorities for TX-11, including:

·     $112 million for Goodfellow Air Force Base to improve housing on base. 

·     $34.5 million for Fort Hood's Smart Water Grid and Central Energy Plant to enhance base resilience. 

·     Fort Hood A&M Land Conveyance (Sec 2865): allows Texas A&M Central Texas to upgrade its facilities near Fort Hood.

FY26 NDAA Bill Text, HERE.

FY26 NDAA Resources, HERE.