Final National Defense Bill Provides Long-Overdue Check to Trump Budget and Policies
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney, Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, voted to pass the final FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This marks the 65th consecutive year the House has passed the annual defense bill. To watch Courtney’s floor speech in support of the bill, click here.
“The final FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act finally provides a healthy counterbalance to the Trump Administration’s defense budget and policies in Europe and the Caribbean. Congress has exercised our constitutional oversight role by restricting Secretary Hegseth’s ability to draw down troops in Europe, repealing the 1991 and 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force, and fencing off funding until the Secretary Hegseth releases all footage of extremely concerning strikes in the Caribbean on September 2nd, and requiring notification and rationale for dismissal of generals and flag officers, which includes Navy servicemembers,” Courtney said. “Nearly one year into the Trump Administration, the House and Senate majorities have rarely acted as a check and balance on the President’s agenda. Passage of these bipartisan oversight measures and modifications of the Trump budget is a refreshingly healthy moment in the 119th Congress.”
“The FY26 NDAA also fixes glaring shortfalls for our submarine programs that were left by President Trump’s proposed Navy budget, H.R. 1, and last month’s continuing resolution. The bill includes a bipartisan plus-up of $1.9 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program to ensure a 2-per-year build rate, incremental funding for the Columbia-class submarine program to keep construction on track, and new contracting authority for five new Columbia-class boats,” Courtney continued. “Critically, the final NDAA includes $615 million to fund improved wages for submarine shipyard workers and boosts investment from Congress across the submarine industrial base, which again was missing from the White House budget. With a continued two-per-year for Virginia-class submarines, alongside the Columbia-class now in full production, submarine shipyards are reaching all-time high tonnage output. The investments in this bill for workforce hiring and retention, facilities, and supply chains will drive growth of a new generation of shipbuilders to meet our nation’s call. Included in this bill is critical support for our allies and partners – $400 million for Ukraine and streamlined export controls for our AUKUS partners, the UK and Australia.”
“This year’s NDAA, which includes a massive increase to both the Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs as well as a new round of wage improvement funding, is going to strengthen even more of the growing metal trades workforce for submarine construction,” said Peter Baker, President of the Metal Trades Council of New London County. "Wage improvement money funded by Congress last December has already created a wage structure which will attract new workers given that the workload is of critical importance. As President of the MTC, I have worked with Seapower Ranking Member Courtney over the last three years as he spearheaded funding for the Metal Trades whose hiring is slated to greatly increase in 2026 through 2028.”
“MDA-UAW Local 571 strongly supports the FY26 NDAA’s authorized funding increase for Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine construction and continued support for the wage improvement for our 2,500 members and their families,” said Bill Louis, President of MDA-UAW Local 571. “In 2025, Congressional ‘wage improvement’ funding was instrumental to achieving the five-year contract with General Dynamics-Electric Boat ratified by MDA-UAW Local 571 members that secured an historic 30% wage increase over the life of the agreement and improved wage progression. Our union has long argued that the fastest way to strengthen the submarine industrial base is to ‘improve wages.’ This NDAA will achieve that goal.”
To read a fact sheet on Connecticut priorities and more wins in the FY26 NDAA, click here.
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