The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill that sets defense policy and funding for the coming year. According to Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, who represents Oklahoma’s 5th District, the legislation continues efforts to improve conditions for service members and aims to modernize military operations.
“I was proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation codifies fifteen of President Trump’s executive orders and includes more than thirty legislative proposals requested by this Administration. Not only does this year’s NDAA focus on increasing the quality of life for our servicemembers, it also contains provisions that will reduce burdensome red tape and streamline the development and delivery of next generation capabilities that our warfighters need to keep pace with near-peer adversaries like China and Russia. Ultimately, this legislation supports our troops, protects our national security, and ensures our warfighters have the resources they need to be an efficient fighting force with cutting edge technologies,” Bice said in a statement.
Key provisions in the NDAA include a 3.8% pay increase for all service members, new resources for National Guard troops stationed at the southern border, and measures prohibiting closure of the E-7A Wedgetail production line. The act also incorporates Rep. Bice’s initiative to make military parental leave more flexible.
Seventeen recommendations from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology are included in the bill. These provisions require development of a biotechnology strategy addressing national security concerns, establish a dedicated Biotechnology Management Office, create new biotech leadership roles across intelligence agencies, and expand intelligence gathering on China’s biotechnology initiatives.
The NDAA authorizes funding for key military construction projects and expands logistics capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.
Stephanie Bice has represented Oklahoma’s 5th district in Congress since 2021 after previously serving in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020. She was born in Oklahoma City in 1973 and holds a BS from Oklahoma State University.
