Sen. Cruz Secures and Advances Priorities for Texas in Annual Defense Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), advancing key national security provisions for Texas and securing critical wins for Texas military bases.

Sen. Cruz said, "I'm a firm believer in peace through strength, and a strong, well-equipped military is the most integral component of that strategy. I am proud to support this year's Senate NDAA, which provides our servicemembers with the resources they need to defend our national security and ensure the continued success of Texas's military bases.

"I was honored to author key provisions in this bill to advance our national security and promote Texas's economic growth. These include maintaining B-1 bomber operations at Dyess Air Force Base through 2030, modernizing the Red River Army Depot, strengthening critical Coast Guard programs, and extending the deadline for international bridge permits along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders through 2035 to enhance trade, create jobs, and reduce congestion.

"I am proud of the accomplishments advanced in this bill for Texas, and I will remain committed to fighting for our brave servicemembers and military strength and readiness."

The Senate-passed version of this year's NDAA included provisions to bolster America's national defense and support servicemembers around the world, including at military bases across Texas. It also included four provisions Sen. Cruz fought to secure.

Sen. Cruz Legislative Provisions:

• The B-1 Protection Act (Amendment #3274) extends the existing prohibition on reductions to the B-1B bomber fleet through September 30, 2030, ensuring that the mission of Dyess Air Force Base-home to one of the largest concentrations of B-1 assets in the United States Air Force-is preserved.
• The SkyFoundry Act (Amendment #3890) intends to modernize and transform Red River Army Depot (RRAD) into the nation's premier organic industrial base hub for small, unmanned aircraft systems (s-UAS), allowing the Department of Defense to rapidly develop, produce, and field s-UAS at scale.
• The International Bridge and Port of Entry Modernization (IBEM) Act (Amendment #3819) modernizes and streamlines the Presidential permitting process for international bridges by expanding the reforms enacted in the FY 2023 NDAA beyond the original three South Texas counties to include all international land ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders and extending the permit submission deadline through 2035.
• The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 (Amendment #3742) is bipartisan legislation that was developed by leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee that authorizes programs and activities to strengthen the Coast Guard's critical mission of protecting America's borders, facilitating maritime commerce, enhancing deterrence, and improving support for Coast Guard personnel and their families. Chairman Cruz previously championed the largest investment in Coast Guard history through the Commerce Committee's title in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• Hypersonic Rocket Motor Cost Reduction Initiative enhances the United States' defense capabilities by addressing critical gaps in solid rocket motor manufacturing, reducing the cost and increasing the production efficiency of hypersonic missile systems.
• MILCON: Dyess B-21 Low Observable Corrosion Facility & Mission Planning Facility prepares Dyess AFB to receive the B-21 Bomber. The Low Observable Corrosion facility is a specialized maintenance facility designed to preserve the stealth capabilities of the aircraft. The Mission Planning Facility will provide secure operations planning space in support of B-21 operations.
• MILCON: Dyess Gate Repairs improves perimeter gates, which pose significant security and operational risks. These critical infrastructure upgrades are essential to host nuclear-capable B-21 aircraft and support Dyess AFB's nuclear mission.

FY 2026 NDAA Highlights:

Improves Servicemember Quality of Life:

• Authorizes funding to support a 3.8 percent pay raise for military members.
• Improves transparency and understanding of military compensation by requiring clear explanations on pay statements, creation of a regular military compensation pay table, and an education campaign for servicemembers and families on military compensation.
• Requires DOD to publish how housing allowances are calculated, what housing types are covered, and to pilot a new calculation method based on rental costs by bedroom size.

Boosts Military Healthcare:

• Requires the establishment of policies for the priority assignment of medical personnel of the DOD and requires the Secretaries of the military departments to assign medical personnel consistent with the Secretary of Defense's priorities.
• Requires the establishment of a demonstration program to expand partnerships between DOD and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities for the purpose of increasing case volume for DOD graduate medical education programs.
• Directs a study on the impact of behavioral and mental health staffing shortfalls at military medical treatment facilities.

Secures the Southern Border:

• Requires a report to assess the advisability, feasibility, and cost of using qualified DOD personnel in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide translation and interpretation services in connection with border security operations.
• Directs DOD to evaluate and, if necessary, improve communication between the U.S. military and the Mexican military during border-related DOD support to the Department of Homeland Security.
• Supports increased cooperation between the U.S. and Mexican militaries through a joint counter-transnational criminal organization training program that will share best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures for countering narcotics trafficking.

Strengthens America's Position Against the Chinese Communist Party:

• Creates a new joint program with Taiwan on unmanned systems.
• Requires SECDEF to invite Taiwan to RIMPAC.
• Prohibits DOD from buying or selling seafood from China for use in dining facilities or commissaries.
• Prohibits the use of funds to enter into a contract for the procurement of photovoltaic modules manufactured by foreign entities of concern.

Builds American Combat Power:

• Includes $1 billion to restore munitions and readiness from MIDNIGHT HAMMER and ROUGH RIDER.
• Expands Navy fleet with an additional two destroyers and funds wage improvements for conventional surface shipbuilders (destroyers, amphibious ships, and more).
• Increases readiness and maintenance funding for all military services.
• Allows Governors to leverage Active Guard and Reserve personnel for disaster response, preserving critical military capacity for national-level crises and contingencies.

Expands DOD Tools for Burden-Sharing and Industrial Base Integration:

• Directs SECDEF to consider whether NATO partners have submitted plans to reach 5% of GDP in deciding on future U.S. military basing and training in Europe.
• Establishes an Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Armaments Cooperation to improve the Pentagon's ability to understand allied and partner industrial bases and conduct win-win industrial base integration efforts.
• Establishes a Joint Program Office to enable the fielding and acquisition of non-Programs of Record by authorized foreign partners, injecting innovative weapons systems into U.S. security cooperation efforts.

Accelerates Rebuilding of Arsenal of Democracy:

• Expands the Industrial Base Fund authorities to match the $8.3B included in reconciliation for the Fund and ensures FMS is taken into account as a requirement for Total Munitions Requirement.
• Includes an additional $6 billion for munitions - in concert with $25 billion in reconciliation, effectively doubles last year's munitions budget.
• Requires a plan to implement critical munitions requirements to fight simultaneous conflicts, ensuring long-term preparedness.

Expands Military Recruitment Surge:

• Expands service pathways for athletes at service academies.
• Increases the number of required JROTC units by 100 and authorizes a cash bonus for new JROTC instructors.
• Improves military recruiter access to secondary schools and timely directory information sharing.
• Establishes a National Week of Military Recruitment.

Returns DOD to its Warfighting Mission:

• Removes all statutory provisions on DEI in the Department of Defense.
• Ban race-based affirmative action at military service academies.
• Prohibits men playing in women's sports at the military service academies.
• Ends PFAS incineration moratorium.
• Prevents DOD from contracting with any entities that engage in political censorship or screen for misinformation.
• Prohibits DOD from paying for sex change surgeries for military personnel.

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