Cortez Masto Applauds Passage of National Defense Bill through Senate to Deliver Support to Nevada’s Service Members, Increase Access to Affordable Housing

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in support of the Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. While Cortez Masto was unable to attend tonight's votes for the National Defense Authorization Act, she supports this critical legislation.

The bill includes funding for the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Energy, pay increases for service members, support for improvements to Nevada military installations, support for law enforcement, and provisions written by Senator Cortez Masto to help protect U.S. national security against the threat of the People's Republic of China. The ROAD to Housing Act, bipartisan legislation to increase access to affordable housing, was also included. The NDAA now heads to be conferenced with the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives before final passage.

"I'll always work to protect American national security and support our service members at home and abroad," said Senator Cortez Masto. "This bipartisan legislation provides critical funding to keep Nevadans safe, combat the rise of Communist China, and support the mental health and wellbeing of military families. It also includes a historic, bipartisan bill to help more hardworking families access housing they can afford. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill into law as soon as possible. "

The FY26 NDAA includes a well-deserved 3.8 percent pay raise for service members. It makes it easier for state veterans' departments to get in touch with veterans about their benefits and requires the Secretary of Defense to hire more special education teachers at Department of Defense Education Activity schools. It also includes a package of bills to support local law enforcement officers.

In addition to these wins for Nevada families, the NDAA includes five pieces of legislation originally introduced by Senator Cortez Masto:

• FORGOTTEN Veterans Act to ensure toxic exposures, including those that occurred in the U.S., are documented in service members' files for the VA. The bill officially designates the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) as contaminated, and requires the Air Force to identify and verify veterans who served at NTTR since January 27, 1951, to make it easier for them to apply for the benefits they have earned through their service.
• TIER Act to improve the Transition Assistance Program that helps service members as they transition out of active-duty and into the workforce.
• The bipartisan FIGHT China Act to prohibit U.S. investment in military-related technologies in China.
• The bipartisan PASS Act to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites.
• The bipartisan Herbert D. Proffitt Act to ensure families of retired law enforcement officers who were killed as a result of their service are not unjustly denied benefits.

Senator Cortez Masto also secured the following priorities in the NDAA:

• ROAD to Housing Act: Comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to tackle the housing crisis. This bill includes two provisions that Senator Cortez Masto wrote, including a modified HOME Reauthorization and Improvement Act and the PRICE Act.
• Funding and support for Nevada's military installations:
  • $47 million for updates at the Range Training Complex at Naval Air Station Fallon
  • Over $64 million for the Nevada National Security Site
  • The bill designates Creech Air Force Base as a remote or isolated installation, which increases funding available to support morale, welfare, and recreation services on base.
    • The bill also requires the Secretary of the Air Force and the Defense Health Agency to assess the behavioral and social health of the service members at Creech and compile a report detailing their findings and recommendations.
• Funding for Nevada's National Guard:
  • $8.6 million for maintenance and new facilities at the Nevada Air National Guard
  • $2.3 million for the Nevada Army National Guard for the Henderson Armory expansion
• A requirement that the DoD and the Department of Education provide an update on the progress that has been made implementing bipartisan legislation Cortez Masto passed to help qualified service members to access student loan forgiveness.

Senator Cortez Masto is a consistent champion for Nevada's service members and veterans. She has worked to support veterans exposed to toxins while in service, including at the Nevada Test and Training Range. Cortez Masto successfully pushed the Biden administration to approve a new veterans cemetery in Elko, Nevada, and has been continually pushing the VA for transparency in the timeline of its construction. She has pushed back against the Navy Federal Credit Union for its disparate lending practices and for overcharging service members.

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