National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

This provision grants the Secretary of the Army authority to enter into multiyear contracts for the procurement of UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft, starting in fiscal year 2027. It also allows for advance procurement of components beginning in fiscal year 2026, aiming for cost savings through economic order quantities.

This section increases the minimum inventory requirement for Air Force air refueling tanker aircraft incrementally from 466 in FY26 to 502 by FY28. It also allows reassignment of retired KC-135 aircraft to Air Refueling Wings with capacity, and prohibits reductions to KC-135 inventory in reserve components for FY26.

This section establishes an alternative test and evaluation pathway for certain defense acquisition programs, particularly software-intensive ones. It aims to accelerate capability delivery by aligning developmental and operational testing, emphasizing continuous data collection, and exempting programs from traditional milestone-driven test plans.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish a program to expand domestic bioindustrial manufacturing capacity for critical biomanufactured products. It provides competitive awards for establishing, upgrading, and retooling facilities, with oversight and annual reporting requirements. The authority sunsets in 10 years unless extended by the President.

This section mandates that the Secretary of Defense offer alternative drinking water to households downgradient from military installations if their private wells are contaminated with PFAS from DoD activities above EPA maximum contaminant levels, and if other households in the community were previously eligible. This is consistent with CERCLA and environmental laws.

This section establishes the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commander of U.S. Transportation Command as responsible for integrating global contested logistics posture management. Their duties include identifying vulnerabilities, developing mitigation strategies, and coordinating investments across military departments. It mandates biennial strategy updates and quarterly briefings to Congress.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Army to accelerate the modernization of the Army's organic industrial base, prioritizing facilities for propellant production, precursor chemicals, ammunition, dual-use vehicle/aircraft maintenance, and logistics. It emphasizes expediting production and using existing permits and personnel.

This provision amends existing law to explicitly require equal opportunity, racial neutrality, and the exclusive use of merit in all military personnel actions, including promotion and command selection. It expands on previous requirements related to enlistment and accession.

This section amends the Military Selective Service Act to automatically register all male U.S. citizens and other male persons residing in the U.S. between ages 18 and 26. This replaces the previous requirement for individuals to register themselves. The effective date is one year after enactment.

This provision prohibits the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy from allowing male cadets or midshipmen to participate in athletic programs designated for women or girls. It clarifies that males may train or practice with such teams as long as no female is deprived of opportunities or benefits.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to ensure that contractors are not required to assume the risk of loss for work in process under classified, fixed-price contracts if they cannot obtain commercial insurance due to the classified nature of the work. This applies unless the loss is due to willful misconduct or workmanship error by the contractor.

This section prohibits executive agencies from procuring biotechnology equipment or services from 'biotechnology companies of concern' or contracting with entities that use such equipment/services acquired after the effective date. It defines 'biotechnology company of concern' based on ties to foreign adversaries like China and includes waiver provisions for national security or overseas healthcare.

This section prohibits the Department of Defense from maintaining DEI offices, chief diversity officers, DEI plans/reports, employee resource groups based on certain characteristics, agency equity teams, or DEI training courses. It clarifies that Equal Employment Opportunity offices and ADA compliance are not prohibited.

This section establishes the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JITF 401) within the DoD, led by a Director reporting to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Its mission is to lead, coordinate, and integrate DoD actions to defeat small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) as weapons, including developing training, testing, and procuring counter-sUAS capabilities. It also grants JITF 401 primary responsibility for validating and approving counter-sUAS systems for DoD procurement.

This section requires members of the Armed Forces (including National Guard) providing support to civilian law enforcement agencies to visibly display the name of their armed force. It also updates the section heading for clarity.

This section prohibits the DoD from using live animals (dogs, cats, nonhuman primates, marine mammals) in live fire trauma training. It mandates replacement with advanced simulators, mannequins, cadavers, or actors, effective upon enactment.

This section establishes the 'Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience' to strengthen defense industrial base cooperation between the U.S. and allies/partners in the Indo-Pacific. It aims to enable production of critical materials, enhance supply chain security, advance R&D, and promote co-development/co-production. It requires designation of a senior official and annual reports/briefings to Congress.

This section makes the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command directly responsible for controlling and managing the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of resources to train, equip, operate, and sustain the Cyber Mission Force. This includes preparing a program objective memorandum and budget estimate submission separate from other military departments, excluding military pay/allowances and facility support.

This section mandates that the Air Force maintain a total inventory of not fewer than 400 operationally available intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), deployed among at least 150 launch facilities across specified bases (Francis E. Warren, Malmstrom, Minot). It prohibits any actions to reduce responsiveness or quantity below this level, except for maintenance or transition to the LGM-35A Sentinel.

This section updates U.S. national missile defense policy to explicitly state the policy of deploying and maintaining a 'next-generation missile defense shield' to deter and defend against increasingly complex ballistic, hypersonic glide, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial threats, while supporting nuclear response capabilities.

This section overhauls the objectives of the defense acquisition system, mandating that it expeditiously provides capabilities, prioritizes end-user needs through direct engagement and iteration, fosters a mission-focused risk-taking culture, and emphasizes best value balancing cost, schedule, performance, and quantity. It also updates the roles of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and Service Chiefs to align with these new objectives.

This section establishes the role of 'portfolio acquisition executive' as a senior acquisition official responsible for leading a portfolio of capabilities, with authority over plans, budgets, and execution, including life-cycle management. These executives report directly to Component/Service Acquisition Executives and oversee program managers, with dedicated personnel and resources.

This section authorizes specific military construction and land acquisition projects for the Army in fiscal year 2026, both inside and outside the United States. Projects include barracks, maintenance shops, training facilities, and infrastructure upgrades at various installations like Anniston Army Depot, Fort Wainwright, Eglin Air Force Base, and U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein.

This section authorizes the Secretary concerned to use 'other transactions' (OTAs), rather than traditional contracts or grants, for military construction and repair projects, including planning, design, prototyping, and execution. It allows for follow-on production contracts without further competition if the initial OTA was competitive and successful. This is intended to streamline MILCON processes and is exempt from certain traditional acquisition rules.

This section undertakes a major recodification, transferring and reorganizing numerous existing provisions of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.) into a new Subpart B of Part VI of Subtitle A of Title 10, U.S. Code. This includes definitions, naval nuclear propulsion, management structures, stockpile stewardship, proliferation matters, environmental cleanup, safeguards, security, personnel, and financial management.

This section mandates specific plutonium pit production levels for the nuclear security enterprise: 10 pits in 2024, 20 in 2025, 30 in 2026, and 80 in 2030. It specifies that Los Alamos National Laboratory must produce at least 30 pits annually and the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility at least 50 pits annually. It also requires annual certifications to Congress and plans for addressing any shortfalls.

This section limits the use of NNSA funds for AI research and development, application management, or associated computing infrastructure to only support the nuclear security missions of the Administration. It clarifies that this does not prohibit other DOE components or federal agencies from establishing AI programs, nor does it impede NNSA resources from supporting such programs on a full cost recovery basis, provided it doesn't interfere with NNSA's nuclear security mission.

This section authorizes $161,707,244,000 for procurement across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Defense-Wide activities for fiscal year 2026. This includes significant funding for aircraft (e.g., F-35, CH-53K, B-21), missiles (e.g., PAC-3 MSE, PrSM, LRASM), shipbuilding (e.g., Columbia-class submarines, Virginia-class submarines), and various other equipment and systems.

This section authorizes $145,698,615,000 for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Defense-Wide programs for fiscal year 2026. This includes funding for basic research, applied research, advanced technology development, and system development and demonstration, with specific increases for areas like hypersonics, AI/ML, and space technologies.

This section authorizes $291,544,245,000 for Operation and Maintenance (O&M) activities across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Defense-Wide programs for fiscal year 2026. This includes funding for operating forces, mobilization, training, recruiting, administration, and service-wide activities, with specific allocations for areas like facilities sustainment, flying hour programs, and cyberspace activities.

This section authorizes $193,154,692,000 for military personnel across all branches of the Armed Forces, including basic pay, allowances, and contributions to the Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund for fiscal year 2026. This includes specific amounts for each service and for health care benefits for retirees.

This section authorizes $19,737,000,000 for military construction, family housing, and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities for fiscal year 2026. This includes specific projects for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Defense-Wide agencies, and National Guard/Reserve components, covering new construction, renovations, and infrastructure improvements.

This section authorizes $34,267,345,000 for Department of Energy national security programs for fiscal year 2026. This includes significant funding for National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) weapons activities (e.g., stockpile modernization, plutonium production), defense nuclear nonproliferation, naval reactors, and defense environmental cleanup. It also includes funding for other defense activities and nuclear energy programs.

This section authorizes a new Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic, appointed by the President with Senate consent. This Ambassador will be responsible for advancing U.S. interests in the Arctic, engaging with foreign governments and organizations, coordinating U.S. foreign policy in the region, and countering malign influence from Russia and China. It also establishes an 'Arctic Watcher Program' and expands Regional China Officer and Russia Watcher positions to the Arctic.

This section establishes a Countering PRC Influence Fund Unit (CPIF Unit) within the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, led by a Director. The unit is responsible for identifying strategic priorities, coordinating and approving programming to counter malign PRC activities, and conducting oversight and evaluation. It requires quarterly briefings to Congress and sunsets after four years.

This section modifies the responsibilities of the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy to explicitly include leading and directing public diplomacy activities, synchronizing efforts to recognize, understand, expose, and counter foreign information manipulation and malign activities (especially from adversaries like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran), and supporting global access to free information and internet freedom. It also mandates nonpolitical character for educational/cultural programming.

This section mandates that the Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with intelligence community (IC) heads, revise all IC regulations, policies, and training to prohibit 'covered practices' (discrimination violating the Constitution, Civil Rights Act of 1964, or other federal law). It prohibits the use of National Intelligence Program funds for implementing such covered practices.

This section mandates the Director of National Intelligence to develop standards and guidelines requiring the removal of the 'DeepSeek' application (or successors) from national security systems operated by the intelligence community or its contractors. It includes exceptions for national security purposes and research activities, with associated risk mitigation standards.

This section prohibits elements of the intelligence community from contracting with Chinese military companies (or their affiliates/partners) engaged in biotechnology R&D or manufacturing, if they are on the 1260H list or otherwise determined to pose a national security risk. It includes a waiver process for national security essentials and exceptions for overseas healthcare or publicly available multiomic data. The prohibition takes effect 60-90 days after enactment and sunsets in 10 years.

This section authorizes appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. For FY26, it authorizes $11,851,875,000 for Operations and Support, $3,651,480,000 for Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements, $67,701,000 for Environmental Compliance and Restoration, and $1,057,929,000 for Retired Pay. Similar amounts are authorized for FY27.

This section increases the authorized end strength for active duty Coast Guard personnel to 50,000 for FY26 and 55,000 for FY27 (from 44,500). It also increases authorized student years for various training programs. It includes a reporting requirement if proportional O&S funding is not provided to support these increases, and delays the applicability of a DoD end strength limitation to the Coast Guard until FY27.

This section prohibits the Commandant from leasing, chartering, or procuring vessels with major hull or superstructure components constructed in foreign shipyards. The President can waive this for national security interests, with a 30-day notice to Congress and justification. This is a significant tightening of previous restrictions.

This section amends the conditions under which a retired Coast Guard officer's grade determination can be reopened. It specifies that substantial evidence of failure to carry out applicable laws with intent to deceive, or of committing/failing to report sexual assault during commissioned service, constitutes 'good cause' for reopening. It also requires the Secretary to issue regulations defining 'good cause' and setting standards for adverse determinations.

This section modernizes merchant mariner credentialing by defining 'merchant mariner credential' and 'nautical school program,' and allowing noncitizen nationals to serve. It revises requirements for Able Seaman and Qualified Member of the Engine Department, including sea service reductions for approved training. It also establishes an electronic credentialing system with data access for federal agencies and a working group to review examination questions.

This section mandates the U.S. Governor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to use the voice and vote of the U.S. to vigorously support Taiwan's admission as an IMF member, its participation in surveillance activities, employment opportunities for Taiwan nationals, and access to technical assistance. It states U.S. policy is not to deter Taiwan from seeking IMF membership. This authority sunsets in 10 years or upon Taiwan's admission.

This section mandates the President to prioritize identifying persons from the People's Republic of China (PRC) involved in shipping fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, precursors, and manufacturing equipment to Mexico or other countries producing fentanyl trafficked into the U.S. This prioritization continues until the President certifies that the PRC is no longer the primary source for such shipments. The authority sunsets December 31, 2030.

This section mandates the President to impose property blocking and visa/admission ineligibility sanctions on foreign persons who, since enactment, threaten peace/stability, undermine democratic processes, engage in corruption or human rights abuses, or obstruct regional agreements in the Western Balkans. It includes exceptions for humanitarian assistance and intelligence activities, and allows for waivers and termination of sanctions under certain conditions.

This section authorizes the Secretary of State to designate a foreign country as a 'State Sponsor of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention' if it supports or engages in such detentions of U.S. nationals. Criteria include failure to release a U.S. national within 30 days of notification or actions indicating complicity. It requires congressional notification of designations and an initial briefing on potential designations (e.g., Afghanistan, Iran, China, Russia).

This section authorizes the Departments of Justice and State to provide technical assistance, training, capacity building, and advisory support to Ukraine for investigating Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, their rehabilitation/reintegration, and accountability for perpetrators. It also authorizes State Department support for rehabilitation services and the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine. It requires reports on U.S. support and sanctions alignment.

This section establishes a comprehensive U.S. policy to promote civil nuclear energy exports to ally/partner nations and embarking civil nuclear nations, countering Russian and Chinese influence. It creates a 'Nuclear Exports Working Group' to develop a 10-year trade strategy, authorizes financial assistance and senior advisors for embarking nations, and mandates bilateral/multilateral engagement on advanced reactor deployment and nuclear liability. It also includes a policy to decouple from Rosatom and sunsets in 20 years.

This section repeals the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which imposed sanctions on the Syrian government and its supporters. It also establishes new reporting requirements for the President on the Syrian government's actions regarding counterterrorism, foreign fighters, minority rights, regional security, money laundering, human rights abuses, and illicit narcotics, with potential for targeted sanctions if certifications are not met.

This section repeals the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (1991) and the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. This formally ends the statutory authorizations for military action in Iraq.

This section authorizes the President to impose sanctions on U.S. persons (including controlled foreign entities) who knowingly engage in 'covered national security transactions' in 'prohibited technologies' with 'covered foreign persons.' It also requires notification for transactions in 'notifiable technologies.' The goal is to prevent U.S. capital from aiding foreign adversaries' military modernization, surveillance, and human rights abuses. It includes exemptions for national interest and intelligence activities, and mandates regulations for implementation.

This section expands authority for federal agencies (DHS, DOJ) to take actions against unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) posing credible threats to public safety or covered facilities/assets. Crucially, it also grants this authority to State, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement and correctional agencies, subject to Attorney General-led training and certification, and a list of authorized technologies. It mandates reporting on SLTT mitigation actions and sunsets the authority in 2031.