Graves Delivers Wins for North Missouri in Defense Bill

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, delivered important wins for North Missouri in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House today. The bill supports our troops at home and abroad, their families, and their mission in keeping our country safe.

• $200 million for procuring 2 C-130Js for Air National Guard
• Extends C-130 fleet protections through FY28, including the minimum inventory requirement and the prohibition on reducing Air National Guard C-130 aircraft.
• Requires annual reports through FY28 on Air Force C-130 inventory, planned retirements, modernization and recapitalization efforts, and basing plans for fielding C-130Js for Air National Guard
• Fosters development of a Domestic Operations Tactics Training Center for C-130J aircrews at Rosecrans, building on the 139th Airlift Wing's expertise in responding to domestic disasters and training crews in advanced airlift tactics.
• Encourages the expansion of C-130J simulator training, including training at the 139th Airlift Wing.
• Highlights the strategic warfighting training done at the Advanced Airlift Tactics Center at Rosecrans.
• $15.5 million to partner with the private sector and academic institutions like the University of Missouri - Kansas City to develop and demonstrate technologies needed for the domestic production of critical materials from domestic mineral sources.
• Nearly $700 million for small arms ammunition produced or will be produced at Lake City Army Ammunition Plant
• Another $1 billion for small arms facilities modernization, including Lake City Army Ammunition Plant

• Prohibits the Air Force from reducing the A-10 fleet below 93 primary mission aircraft in FY26, and requires a briefing on plans to fully divest the A-10 before FY29.
• Ensures there's a plan to recapitalize the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base
• Protect Fort Leonard Wood's Military Treatment Facility (MTF) by extending the freeze on cutting medical billets to 10 years and requiring a full-year notice with stricter oversight before DoD can reduce or change any MTF services.
• $2.59 billion for procurement of B-21 long-range bombers, which will be based at Whiteman Air Force Base
• $407 million to manufacture MQ-25 Stingrays in St. Louis
• $576 million to modernize and sustain F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs in St. Louis
• $50.6 million to produce the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in St. Louis
• $33 million for military construction at Whiteman Air Force Base to support the B-21 bomber
• $132.6 million for the Joint Assault Bridge, made in Bridgeton

• Delivers a hard-earned 3.8 percent pay raise for our servicemembers and expands military bonuses and special pay.
• Increases the Family Separation Allowance for deployed servicemembers
• Authorizes $1.5 billion for new construction of barracks and family housing.
• Mandates a plan to meet the government's unfulfilled legal obligations on health, safety, and environmental hazards in military housing.
• Requires an independent evaluation of military housing conditions