WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 22, 2026…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) today voted in support of H.R. 8800, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Womack said, "Peace through Strength requires us to address supply chain vulnerabilities, strengthen competition and innovation across the defense industry, and provide manufacturers with the certainty needed to replenish our arsenal. The Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act is instrumental in advancing these goals by implementing critical reforms to enable our defense industrial base to produce at speed and scale. I look forward to building on the authorities established in this bill through the defense appropriations process to ensure our warfighters are equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow and the decades ahead."

Bill highlights:

Strengthens Arkansas defense equities by:

• Including Congressman Womack's amendment to direct the Department of War (DoW) to conduct and publish an analysis evaluating the full life-cycle costs of F-35 basing options for aircraft delivered between FY30-FY35.
• Authorizing the Secretary of the Army to conduct a no-cost land exchange between the Arkansas National Guard (ARNG) and the U.S. Army Reserve to provide the ARNG with a new Joint Force Headquarters building.
• Extending a 2024 project authorization for a 3-bay maintenance hangar at Ebbing Air National Guard Base to support the force beddown of F-35 aircraft.

Strengthens readiness and efficiency by:

• Increasing end-strength across the DoW to support national security priorities, homeland security, and disaster response.
• Authorizing multi-year procurement authority for certain munitions, the F-35 aircraft, and F-15EX aircraft, and constrains the retirement of legacy aircraft like the E-3 and MQ-9 before replacements are ready.
• Authorizing the establishment of Joint Task Force Audit to support achieving an unmodified financial statement audit opinion by 2028.

Revitalizes the defense industrial base by:

• Providing the capital needed to expand and accelerate production by providing multiyear procurement authority for critical systems, munitions, and components, including those for F-35 Aircraft and spares.
• Investing in research, development, testing, and evaluation of innovative technologies, including autonomous capabilities, cybersecurity, biotechnology, and advanced materials.

Improves servicemember quality of life by:

• Authorizing appropriators to increase servicemember pay by 5 to 7 percent.
• Authorizing over $1.8 billion for new construction of barracks and family housing.
• Expanding eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA), an initiative closely related to Congressman Womack's BNA Fairness Act of 2025.
• Improving DoW school assistance, increasing access to childcare, and authorizing programs to recruit and train military spouses to teach in DoW schools.
• Expanding access to healthcare by developing further dental and women's health care at Military Treatment Facilities.

A summary of the bill is available HERE.

The bill text is available HERE.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas's Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

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