Rosen Helps Pass Bipartisan National Defense Bill with Major Wins She Secured for Nevada, Heads to President’s Desk

Senator Rosen Helped Write And Pass the Bipartisan Legislation To Provide 3.8% Pay Raise for Troops, Authorize Military Construction Projects in Nevada, and Support Nevada Servicemembers

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced several major wins for servicemembers in Nevada that she helped secure in the bipartisan national defense bill that passed the Senate and now heads to the President's desk. The bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26 NDAA) authorizes several critical military construction projects, including projects which are necessary for the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno to receive C-130J aircraft so that they can more safely and effectively carry out their dangerous firefighting mission. It also includes components of multiple Rosen-led provisions to help ensure servicemembers and veterans can access the health care and benefits they have earned. The NDAA additionally provides a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers.

The NDAA includes a portion of Senator Rosen's FORGOTTEN Veterans Act, which will require the Department of Defense to document servicemembers' exposure to radiation and other toxins that occurred during their service at all locations, including domestically, and not just when returning from deployments overseas. Although the initial Senate-passed NDAA included a Rosen provision to classify the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) as a location where nuclear and toxic contamination occurred, require the Secretary of the Air Force to identify everyone who had served at classified locations within the NTTR, and establish a process for veterans to be able to provide proof of their service within the NTTR so that they would have a basis to submit PACT Act claims, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson blocked its inclusion in the final bill.

Despite this, Senator Rosen was able to secure a provision in the final version of the NDAA that directs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress about how the Secretary plans to identify the servicemembers who served at locations which the Department of Energy already classifies as contaminated, and at classified locations where there was a potential of toxic exposure since the date of the first nuclear test on the NTTR in January 1951, and report on thr procedures and policies the Department of Defense (DOD) could establish to assist veterans who were stationed at such locations in order to provide adequate documentation of their service and exposure to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) so that they can successfully claim the health care and disability benefits they are legally owed. This is an important first step towards correcting the disparity that has barred those veterans exposed to toxins during their service at NTTR from accessing VA benefits.

"I'm proud to have helped pass a bipartisan defense bill to support the brave men and women who serve our nation in uniform and protect America's national security," said Senator Rosen. "I'm glad to see several provisions I fought for included in this bill to give our troops a well-deserved pay raise, upgrade Nevada's military installations, and improve health care and benefits for our servicemembers. While I'm very frustrated that Speaker Johnson removed my provision to finally get Nevada veterans exposed to radiation their long-withheld benefits, I'm very proud to have ensured sure Congress takes the first step to righting this wrong. I'll keep working across party lines to make sure these veterans, and all Nevada servicemembers, are supported with the resources they need."

Rosen-led provisions in the FY26 NDAA include:

• Designating Creech Air Force Base as Remote & Isolated: Designates Creech AFB as a remote installation, making it eligible for additional funding for things like morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) activities, and medical services such as dental care. This is to support Creech Airmen and their families, who often have to live an hour's drive from Creech, because Creech has no on-base housing, limited off-base housing, and few services, such as child care. This has been a years' long endeavor that finally survived conference with the House thanks to Congresswoman Susie Lee including identical language in the House bill. ​

• Documenting Exposure At All Locations: Codifies and expands the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) as a centralized data system for servicemembers' occupational and environmental exposure data. The bill alsoDOD to document all exposures, including those that occur domestically, into the servicemember's ILER, so it can be seen by the VA when servicemembers transition to civilian life. Currently, this only occurs when servicemembers return from deployments. The bill also requires DOD to include in servicemembers' records whether they served at a location where there was a potential of toxic exposure.

• Recognition of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Crew: Directs the Secretary of Defense to brief Congress regarding the Department's plan to establish a status identifier or equivalent recognition for remotely piloted aircraft crews, like those stationed at Creech, to denote their participation in combat operations. The report also requires the Secretary to develop a plan to communicate this information to the VA.

• Veteran Training Records: Directs the Pentagon to assess the feasibility of providing military training and qualification records to post-9/11 veterans to assist them in obtaining civilian jobs. This builds on Senator Rosen's bipartisan Translating Military Skills into Civilian Jobs Act, which was signed into law as part of the FY2025 NDAA, which only applied to those currently serving, not veterans.

• Nevada Air National Guard Fuel Cell Hangar: Authorizes $5.4 million for a larger fuel cell hangar at the Air National Guard Base in Reno, which is necessary for the base's candidacy to receive C-130J aircraft, which are larger than the current fleet of C-130Hs. Senator Rosen has been working to secure C-130J aircraft for the Nevada National Guard to provide them with more capable aircraft for their dangerous firefighting mission. ​

• Nevada Air National Guard Engine Maintenance and Support Facility: Authorizes $3.2 million to expand the facility at the Air National Guard Base in Reno. ​This project is also necessary for the base's candidacy to receive C-130Js.

• Fallon Range Training Complex Improvements: Authorizes $47 million to accelerate modernization of the Fallon Range Training Complex to enable the Navy to train in sufficiently realistic conditions.

• Report on Initiatives that Negate the Need for Nuclear Testing: Directs the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration to brief Congress on how technological advancements and ongoing initiatives - including modernization of the underground laboratory at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) - will provide greater certainty on the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of our nuclear stockpile, which negates the need for explosive nuclear testing.

• Report on Incentive Programs for After-Hours Child Care: Directs the Department of Defense to brief Congress on their efforts to create and implement incentive programs that would encourage Family Child Care providers to expand their services, support military spouses, and provide after-hours child care, which would support Creech Airmen and their families, who often work outside of normal business hours due to the global operations they support.

• Report on Integration of Military Service Outcome Data with State Educational Systems: Directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to brief Congress on the feasibility of establishing a data-sharing system to assist states in accessing military enlistment data to better inform students about military careers.​

• Remotely Piloted Aircraft Crew Health Assessment: Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the psychological effects and mental health impacts of remotely piloted aircraft combat operations on members of the Armed Forces and other personnel engaged in such operations.

• Cyber Talent Management: Directs the Secretary of Defense to build a program to manage Cyber Mission Force (CMF) personnel transitioning to the reserve cyber force, and brief Congress on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a talent management program to support active duty cyber personnel transitioning to the reserve cyber force.

• Report on Department of Defense Paint Facilities for Corrosion Control: Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a report to Congress on the status of facilities worldwide - including at Nellis Air Force Base - that conduct sanding and blasting operations of paint containing Hexavalent Chromium-a toxic, cancer-causing chemical used in paint on aircraft to prevent them from corroding.

Rosen-backed provision included in the FY26 Senate NDAA:

• Prioritize C-130J Recapitalization: Prohibits the Air Force through 2026 from spending funds on C-130J modernization until all Air National Guard units flying legacy C-130Hs, such as the Nevada Air National Guard in Reno, are set to receive C-130Js.

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