Kaine Applauds Senate Passage of Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Ranking Member of the SASC Subcommittee on Seapower, applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2026National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA), which includes key provisions Kaine secured to advance U.S. national security, support servicemembers and their families, boost Virginia’s defense industry, and strengthen relations with allies and partners:
“I’m glad the Senate advanced this year’s defense authorization bill, which includes several priorities I advocated for to advance our national security, support servicemembers and military families, and help get our nation’s shipbuilding programs back on track. I’m proud the bill takes steps to boost our alliances, strengthen the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) agreement, and improve safety for military and commercial flights following the tragic collision near DCA earlier this year. The legislation also includes a bipartisan bill I’ve championed for years to formally end the Iraq wars and a provision I introduced to keep the names of three Virginia military bases as Fort Barfoot, Fort Gregg-Adams, and Fort Walker so that we can continue to honor four amazing individuals chosen by Virginians. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress as the bill goes to conference with the House.”
The legislation will now head to conference committee.
Kaine successfully secured the following provisions:
Pay Raises, Allowances, and Workforce Recruitment:
Shipbuilding Investments:
Repeal of 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs):Includesbipartisan legislationled by Kaine and Senator Todd Young (R-IN) to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs and formally end the Iraq wars. The legislation wasincludedin the House’s version of this year’s NDAA.
Aviation Safety:Requires that all aircraft of the Department of Defense that operate near commercial airports be equipped with broadcast positioning technology. Requires that the Department of Defense improve how it shares aviation safety data with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This comes in response to the January 29, 2025 collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that took the lives of 67 people.
Base Renamings:Stops the Department of Defense’s renaming of three Virginia military bases, keeping the names of the bases as Fort Barfoot, Fort Gregg-Adams, and Fort Walker. KainepressedDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth to keep the names at a SASC hearing in June. He previously pushed to include an amendment in theFY21 NDAAto initiate a process to rename Department of Defense facilities and military bases named after individuals tied to the Confederacy.
Contaminated Wells Relocation Act:Includes Kaine’sbipartisan, bicameral legislationto authorize NASA to negotiate an agreement with the Town of Chincoteague to address costs associated with relocating contaminated water wells, reimburse for those identified costs, and provide more local control of the water supply to the Town of Chincoteague. Several of the Town’s wells are located on NASA property and have been contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While the well water is currently being treated to remove PFAS and is safe to drink, these treatments must occur regularly, which is an ongoing cost for NASA. This bill offers a permanent solution to resolve the contamination management hurdle while saving the federal government money.
Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command:Requires a report on the Army’s proposed plan to integrate Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command. Army leadership has communicated to Kaine that despite the proposed merger, TRADOC operations will remain at Fort Eustis with no significant change to personnel levels. Kaine will continue to monitor the situation.
Military Construction:Authorizes$993,660,000for military construction (MILCON) in Virginia.
Military Housing:
Health Care:
Military Families:
European Security, NATO, and Ukraine:
Australia-U.K-U.S. (AUKUS) Partnership:
Taiwan:Authorizes funding for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative and directs the Department of Defense to engage with Taiwan to develop a joint program to codevelop and coproduce uncrewed and counter-uncrewed capabilities.
U.S. Posture in Indo-Pacific:
Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act(PERA)Act:Includes Kaine’sbipartisan legislationwith Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) to strengthen and modernize the U.S.-Philippines alliance through increased U.S. security assistance.
Combating PRC Overseas and Unlawful Networked Threats through Enhanced Resilience (COUNTER) Act:Includesbipartisan legislationKaine cosponsored to combat PRC attempts to strengthen its global reach by expanding overseas basing efforts.
Korean American Divided Families National Registry Act:Includes Kaine’sbipartisan legislationwith Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) to help reunite Korean Americans who have been separated from their relatives in North Korea since the Korean War.
Israel:Authorizes funding for the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Program, including the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow. SinceFebruary 2024, Kaine has called for the transfer of defensive, rather than offensive, weapons to Israel in order to prevent further escalation that puts civilians and U.S. servicemembers in the region at risk.
Uncrewed Aircraft Systems:
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