Rosen Helps Pass Bipartisan National Defense Bill with Major Wins She Secured for Nevada, Heads to President’s Desk

Senator Rosen Helped Write And Pass the Bipartisan Legislation To Provide 3.8% Pay Raise for Troops, Authorize Military Construction Projects in Nevada, and Support Nevada Servicemembers
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced several major wins for servicemembers in Nevada that she helped secure in the bipartisan national defense bill that passed the Senate and now heads to the President’s desk. The bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26 NDAA) authorizes several critical military construction projects, including projects which are necessary for the Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno to receive C-130J aircraft so that they can more safely and effectively carry out their dangerous firefighting mission. It also includes components of multiple Rosen-led provisions to help ensure servicemembers and veterans can access the health care and benefits they have earned. The NDAA additionally provides a 3.8% pay raise for all servicemembers.
The NDAA includes a portion of Senator Rosen’sFORGOTTEN Veterans Act, which will require the Department of Defense to document servicemembers’ exposure to radiation and other toxins that occurred during their service at all locations, including domestically, and not just when returning from deployments overseas. Although the initial Senate-passed NDAA included a Rosenprovisionto classify the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) as a location where nuclear and toxic contamination occurred, require the Secretary of the Air Force to identify everyone who had served at classified locations within the NTTR, and establish a process for veterans to be able to provide proof of their service within the NTTR so that they would have a basis to submitPACT Actclaims, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson blocked its inclusion in the final bill.
Despite this, Senator Rosen was able to secure a provision in the final version of the NDAA that directs the Secretary of Defense to report to Congress about how the Secretary plans to identify the servicemembers who served at locations which the Department of Energy already classifies as contaminated, and at classified locations where there was a potential of toxic exposure since the date of the first nuclear test on the NTTR in January 1951, and report on thr procedures and policies the Department of Defense (DOD) could establish to assist veterans who were stationed at such locations in order to provide adequate documentation of their service and exposure to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) so that they can successfully claim the health care and disability benefits they are legally owed. This is an important first step towards correcting the disparity that has barred those veterans exposed to toxins during their service at NTTR from accessing VA benefits.
“I’m proud to have helped pass a bipartisan defense bill to support the brave men and women who serve our nation in uniform and protect America’s national security,”said Senator Rosen.“I’m glad to see several provisions I fought for included in this bill to give our troops a well-deserved pay raise, upgrade Nevada’s military installations, and improve health care and benefits for our servicemembers. While I’m very frustrated that Speaker Johnson removed my provision to finally get Nevada veterans exposed to radiation their long-withheld benefits, I’m very proud to have ensured sure Congress takes the first step to righting this wrong. I’ll keep working across party lines to make sure these veterans, and all Nevada servicemembers, are supported with the resources they need.”
Rosen-led provisions in the FY26 NDAA include:
Rosen-backed provision included in the FY26 Senate NDAA:
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