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WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026.

Congressman Wittman’s remarks as prepared for delivery: 

 “Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the committee for their leadership throughout this year’s NDAA process. 

I rise in strong support of H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026.

As the United States faces pacing threats from China, this NDAA ensures the United States remains peerless by reforming and modernizing the Pentagon’s acquisition policies. 

This bill includes my provision, instituting a minimum assignment period of six years for acquisition program executive officers, strengthening institutional memory in the acquisition process. 

It also cuts through red tape by exempting smaller programs from cumbersome regulatory burdens, revitalizes the Defense Industrial Base by establishing the Defense Industrial Resiliency Consortium, and bridges the “Valley of Death” by creating the Bridging Operational Objectives & Support for Transition Program to efficiently align high-potential technologies with unmet operational needs.

As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, we have ensured this bill delivers on maintaining a capable and lethal fighting force by authorizing over $38 billion for the development, procurement, and modification of aircraft—including full funding for the 6th generation F-47 and F/A-XX programs. It also authorizes $15 billion to restore America’s ammunition arsenal.

Crucially, this bill addresses the emerging threat of unmanned aircraft systems or UAS. These systems are poised to be the IED of our future conflicts if we do not successfully counter them both at home and on the battlefield. 

The FY26 NDAA fully funds the President’s request for counter-UAS systems and implements a pilot program to utilize commercial data feeds to more accurately detect, identify, and track UAS incursions near military installations.

I would also like to thank the subcommittee’s Ranking Member, Don Norcross for his leadership in these efforts and for his shared, bipartisan vision for national security.

Mr. Speaker, this year’s NDAA is a strong, bipartisan bill that works to keep the United States the most dynamic and lethal military power on the planet. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the remainder of my time.”