Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) issued the following statement on House passage of the final conference agreement for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.
“The compromise legislation before the House was by no means perfect, but it was a bipartisan and commonsense bill that is essential to ensuring America’s security at home and abroad. I voted yes on raising pay for servicemembers, improving childcare and military housing, investing in scientific and technological advancements, protecting civilian workers from arbitrary workforce reductions, and advancing other measures that strengthen military readiness and provide the congressional oversight necessary to hold the Trump administration accountable.
“In addition to restoring key international relationships through critical funding support for our allies, like Ukraine and Taiwan, the NDAA conference agreement strengthens oversight by mandating reporting on the use of military aircraft for immigration operations, requiring detailed justifications for the removal of senior military leaders, repealing the outdated 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force, and requiring Secretary Hegseth to provide unredacted videos of recent lethal strikes in Latin America. These provisions will improve transparency, protect civilian and military personnel from unlawful political interference, and reinforce Congress’s constitutional role in matters of national defense.
“This legislation is also critically important for Naval Base Ventura County and its installations, which are home to cutting-edge missions, critical testing and training operations, a highly skilled civilian workforce, and our dedicated servicemembers. By investing in military construction, strengthening the defense industrial base, and improving the quality of life for servicemembers and their families, the NDAA supports the readiness and resilience of the Point Mugu and Port Hueneme communities. These investments help ensure that NBVC remains one of our nation’s premier defense assets.
“While I believe this bill makes necessary investments to bolster military readiness, I am disappointed that several bipartisan issues, such as expanding access to IVF and protecting collective bargaining rights for civilian personnel, were excluded from final passage. I will continue working across the aisle to advance these vital measures, and I remain committed to pushing back against efforts to weaken the diversity, talent, and unity of purpose that have long defined our military’s spirit and strengthened our nation.”
The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act conference agreement passed the House by a vote of 312-112. The text of the conference agreement can be found here, the joint explanatory statement is here, and a summary of the FY2026 NDAA can be found here.
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Issues: 119th Congress, Defense, Military