BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — Speaker Mike Johnson has issued a statement outlining priorities in S. 1017, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, a policy bill that includes multiple provisions with potential implications for personnel, missions, and defense infrastructure connected to Barksdale Air Force Base.
Johnson said the legislation supports military readiness, strengthens national defense capabilities, and reflects Republican priorities on military policy.
“This year’s National Defense Authorization Act helps advance President Trump and Republicans’ Peace Through Strength Agenda by codifying 15 of President Trump’s executive orders, ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos,” Johnson said.
The statement notes several provisions that could directly affect Barksdale, home to Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-52H Stratofortress fleet. These include a 4 percent pay raise for enlisted service members, expanded counter-drone defenses, nuclear deterrence enhancements, and investments in emerging military technologies.
Johnson said the bill includes measures intended to “ensure our military forces remain the most lethal in the world and can deter any adversary.” He also highlighted provisions aimed at restricting certain Pentagon programs and establishing guardrails on U.S. investments tied to China.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said the legislation is structured to accelerate acquisition timelines so that service members receive equipment and technology more quickly.
“We’re also reforming the Pentagon’s broken, bureaucratic acquisition process so that our troops can quickly get the tools they need to deter our enemies,” Rogers said.
Additional areas addressed in the bill include:
• Nuclear modernization initiatives and expansion of new nuclear power technologies.
• Strengthening of U.S.-Israel military cooperation and missile defense.
• Support for National Guard and active-duty deployments at the southwest border.
• Investments in Indo-Pacific defense initiatives, including support for Taiwan.
• Revitalization of the U.S. maritime industrial base and shipbuilding capacity.
• Elimination of $20 billion in obsolete systems and programs identified by the Pentagon.
• Restrictions on certain advertising contracts and restoration of merit-based service academy admissions.
• Prohibitions on CRT, DEI, and climate-related initiatives.
As the FY26 NDAA moves through the legislative process, Barksdale leaders and local officials are expected to monitor the bill’s progress to assess its impact on base operations, strategic missions, and the regional economy tied to defense activity.