Columbia News

Congressman Mark Alford of Missouri’s 4th District issued a statement following the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 3838, known as the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026 NDAA).

“We were proud to stand with our troops by supporting this year’s NDAA,” said Congressman Alford. “This vital legislation provides a much needed pay raise for our enlisted servicemembers, bolsters President Trump’s peace through strength agenda, and prepares our military for rising threats from adversaries like Russia and Communist China. We’re also making critical investments in the Fourth District to develop a new national security corridor stretching from St. Louis to Wichita—with the Kansas City area becoming a cornerstone of our defense industrial base. By passing this NDAA, we are sending a message to the world that the United States military will remain the most lethal fighting force on earth.”

The FY 2026 NDAA includes several provisions focused on military policy and spending. It codifies efforts to remove certain ideological programs from the military and restore focus on meritocracy and accountability. The bill fully funds Department of Defense (DoD) support for border security, reforms acquisition processes to speed technology delivery, provides a 3.8% pay raise for servicemembers, and authorizes funding for defense priorities such as aircraft, submarines, warships, and autonomous systems.

Additionally, the legislation supports revitalizing domestic defense manufacturing jobs and supply chains, gives new authorities related to allied defense contributions, reforms civil service hiring within DoD, and prepares the military for potential Indo-Pacific conflicts. It also extends authorities used against terrorist threats and promotes energy independence using nuclear technologies.

For Missouri’s 4th District specifically, the bill supports growth at the Kansas City National Security Campus as part of an expansion program for non-nuclear components. It allocates $4 million each to rebuild submarine battery supply chains through work with the University of Missouri system and to establish domestic manufacturing capacity for primary batteries.

Funding is authorized for 21 new Joint Assault Bridges used at Fort Leonard Wood to train servicemembers in maneuverable combat operations. The bill recognizes Whiteman Air Force Base’s bomb wings for their role in Operation Midnight Hammer targeting Iran’s nuclear capacity and calls for continued integration models as new B-21 aircraft arrive.

Mark Alford has represented Missouri's 4th District in Congress since 2023 after replacing Vicky Hartzler (https://alford.house.gov/about). Born in Baytown, Texas in 1963, he lives in Lake Winnebago (https://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Alford). He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in 1988.