Congresswoman Stephanie Bice, whose district includes Seminole County, says she was in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2026, passed yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I was proud to support this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. This bipartisan legislation codifies fifteen of President Trump’s executive orders and includes more than thirty legislative proposals requested by this Administration,” Bice said in a statement.

“Not only does this year’s NDAA focus on increasing the quality of life for our servicemembers, it also contains provisions that will reduce burdensome red tape and streamline the development and delivery of next generation capabilities that our warfighters need to keep pace with near-peer adversaries like China and Russia. Ultimately, this legislation supports our troops, protects our national security, and ensures our warfighters have the resources they need to be an efficient fighting force with cutting edge technologies,” Bice added.

According to Bice, specific provisions within the NDAA increase troop pay by 3.8% for all servicemembers and protects military parental leave and makes it more flexible for servicemembers.

Other key provisions:

• Provides resources for National Guard troops stationed at the southern border

• Prohibits the closure of the E-7A Wedgetail production line

• Contains 17 provisions from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology, on which Bice serves as a Commissioner, including: Requiring the Department to develop a biotechnology strategy to govern the national security implications of emerging biotechnologies; establishing a Biotechnology Management Office; establishing new biotech leads across the intelligence agencies; expanding intelligence gathering about China’s efforts to advance its own biotech interests.

The Act also authorizes funding for essential military construction projects and expands logistics capabilities in the Indo-Pacific to bolster U.S. forces.