S. 1071
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Sponsor: John Cornyn
1 cosponsor
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2026 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, military construction, and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE). The bill also sets forth policies and authorities for the Department of State, the Coast Guard, and the Intelligence Community (IC).
Among other elements, the bill
- authorizes the procurement of various items, including aircraft, ships, and missiles;
- sets active duty and reserve component personnel strength levels;
- sets policy regarding various aspects of military health care and military compensation;
- sets policy regarding DOD acquisitions and acquisition management, including contracting authorities and domestic sourcing;
- sets policy for various matters related to DOD interactions with foreign nations, including matters concerning Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific;
- sets policy for various matters related to DOD cyber operations, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence;
- authorizes specified military construction projects and extends the authorization of certain projects from previous fiscal years;
- authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Naval Petroleum Reserves, and Maritime Administration;
- sets policy regarding the organization and workforce of the State Department;
- sets acquisition and personnel policy for the Coast Guard;
- sets policy for merchant mariner credentials, vessel safety, and oil pollution response; and
- sets policy for the IC regarding artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
For additional information on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) see
- In Focus IF10516, Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA, and
- In Focus IF10515, Defense Primer: The NDAA Process.
Text of the bill
A Department of Defense Authorizations
I Procurement
A Authorization of Appropriations
B Army Programs
C Navy Programs
D Air Force Programs
E Defense-wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters
II Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
A Authorization of Appropriations
B Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations
C Biotechnology Matters
D Plans, Reports, and Other Matters
III Operation and Maintenance
A Authorization of Appropriations
B Energy and Environment
C Logistics and Sustainment
D Matters Relating to Munitions
E Other Matters
IV Military Personnel Authorizations
A Active Forces
B Reserve Forces
C Authorization of Appropriations; Reports
V Military Personnel Policy
A Officer Policy
B Reserve Component Management
C General Service Authorities and Military Records
D Recruitment and Accession
E Member Training
F Member Education
G Military Justice and Other Legal Matters
H Career Transition
I Family Programs, Child Care, and Dependent Education
J Decorations and Awards, Reports, and Other Matters
VI Compensation and Other Personnel Benefits
A Basic Pay and Retired Pay
B Bonus, Incentive, and Separation Pays
C Allowances
D Leave
E Family and Survivor Benefits
F Defense Resale Matters
G Other Benefits, Administrative Matters, Reports, and Briefings
VII Health Care Provisions
A TRICARE and Other Health Benefits
B Health Care Administration
C Studies, Reports, and Other Matters
VIII Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management, and Related Matters
A Acquisition Policy and Management
B Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations
C Provisions Relating to Workforce Development
D Provisions Relating to Supply Chains and Domestic Sourcing
E Prohibitions and Limitations on Procurement
F Industrial Base Matters
G Other Matters
IX Department of Defense Organization and Management
A Office of the Secretary of Defense and Related Matters
B Other Department of Defense Organization and Management Matters
X General Provisions
A Financial Matters
B Counterdrug Activities
C Naval Vessels and Shipyards
D Counterterrorism
E Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations
F Studies and Reports
G Other Matters
XI Civilian Personnel
XII Matters relating to foreign nations
A Assistance and training
B Foreign military sales and related processes
C Matters relating to the Middle East
D Matters relating to Israel
E Matters relating to Europe, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation
F Matters relating to the Indo-Pacific region
G Matters relating to Asia
H Other matters
XIV Other Authorizations
A Military Programs
B National Defense Stockpile
C Other Matters
XV Cyberspace-related Matters
A Cyber Operations
B Cybersecurity
C Information Technology and Data Management
Section 1522 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 10 U.S.C. 2223 note) is amended—
(1) in subsection (b)(2)—
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking and at the end;
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(E) defines Department of Defense-wide, mandatory timelines for activities performed by authorizing officials with respect to an Authorization to Operate for cloud-hosted platforms, services, and applications.
(2) in subsection (b)(3), by striking subsection (a) and inserting paragraph (1);
(3) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);
(4) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:
(c) Expedited processing
(1) Processes required. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense, in coordination with the Chief Information Officers of the military departments, shall provide to each element of the Department of Defense with Authorization to Operate responsibilities guidance on, and direct each such element to develop and implement, one or more processes to expedite the granting of Authorizations to Operate and, where applicable, related appeals.
(2) Criteria for expedited review. The processes implemented by an element of the Department of Defense under paragraph (1) shall provide for expedited review of a request for an Authorization to Operate if—
(A) such Authorization to Operate is for an information system of such element; and
(B) the request for such Authorization to Operate was appropriately submitted to the authorizing official for such Authorization to Operate and—
(i) the final determination whether to grant such Authorization to Operate as has been pending before such authorizing official for not fewer than 180 days without resolution;
(ii) if a mechanism for appealing a determination by an authorizing official with respect to such Authorization to Operate exists, such an appeal has been pending before such authorizing official for not fewer than 90 days without response; or
(iii) any other circumstances identified by the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense in the policy established under paragraph (1) that demonstrate unreasonable delay or impediment to the Authorization to Operate process.
(3) Elements. The process for expedited appeals developed under paragraph (1) shall include—
(A) clearly defined timelines for resolution of the expedited review of the appeal, not to exceed 45 days from the date the expedited review is requested;
(B) requirements for a written justification when such timelines cannot be met; and
(C) tracking and reporting mechanisms to monitor compliance with such timelines.
; and
(5) by amending subsection (d), as so redesignated, to read as follows:
(d) Reports
(1) Implementation status
(A) Secretary report. Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of the implementation of subsections (a) and (b).
(B) Chief information officer report. Not later than July 1, 2026, the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the status of the implementation of subsections (c).
(2) Biannual report
(A) In general. Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and every six months thereafter under October 1, 2031, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense and the Chief Information Officers of the military departments, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the activities under this section in the six-month period ending on the date of the submission of such report.
(B) Contents. Each report required under subparagraph (A) shall include, for the period covered by such report—
(i) the number of new Authorizations to Operate issued;
(ii) the number of requests for an Authorization to Operate that were submitted with complete and sufficient documentation to the appropriate authorizing official;
(iii) the number of requests for Authorizations to Operate that were denied;
(iv) the number of requests for Authorizations to Operate that were escalated to the process implemented under subsection (c), disaggregated by escalations—
(I) to the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense; and
(II) to the Chief Information Officer of each military department;
(v) the number of requests described in clause (iv) that were resolved, disaggregated by resolutions—
(I) by the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense; and
(II) by the Chief Information Officer of each military department;
(vi) the average time required for a capability to receive an Authorization to Operate, disaggregated each element of the Department responsible for evaluating the request for the Authorization to Operate;
(vii) the number of Authorizations to Operate issued pursuant to the policy required by subsection (b);
(viii) the number of requested reciprocal Authorizations to Operate denied due to insufficiency of supporting evidence, along with a narrative summary of the primary reasons for such denials;
(ix) a narrative summary of any recurring deficiencies in the materials required for system authorization under the Risk Management Framework;
(x) recommendations to refine the Risk Management Framework and the Authority to Operate process, including opportunities to define, implement, and validate security controls at a higher organizational level so that subordinate systems may rely on those controls without duplicative implementation or assessment; and
(xi) an evaluation of the training, standards, and qualification requirements for authorizing officials.
D Artificial Intelligence
E Reports and Other Matters
XVI Space Activities, Strategic Programs, and Intelligence Matters
A Space Activities
B Defense Intelligence and Intelligence-Related Activities
C Nuclear Forces
D Missile Defense Programs
E Matters Relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena
F Matters Relating to Electromagnetic Warfare
G Other Matters
XVII Other Defense Matters
XVIII Acquisition Reform
A Alignment of the Defense Acquisition System
B Requirements Process Reform
C Matters Relating to Commercial Products and Commercial Services
D Improvements to Acquisition Programs
E Modifications to Strengthen the Industrial Base
B Military Construction Authorizations
XXI Army Military Construction
XXII Navy Military Construction
XXIII Air Force Military Construction
XXIV Defense Agencies Military Construction
XXV International Programs
A North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program
B Host Country In-Kind Contributions
XXVI Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities
XXVII Base Realignment and Closure Activities
XXVIII Military Construction General Provisions
A Military Construction Programs
B Military Housing Reforms
C Real Property and Facilities Administration
D Land Conveyances
E Modifications to Unspecified Minor Military Construction
F Other Matters
C Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations
XXXI Department of Energy National Security Programs
A National Security Programs and Authorizations
B Program Authorizations, Restrictions, and Limitations
C Reports and Other Matters
XXXII Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
XXXIV Naval Petroleum Reserves
XXXV Maritime Administration
D Funding Tables
XLI Procurement
XLII Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
XLIII Operation and Maintenance
XLIV Military Personnel
XLV Other Authorizations
XLVI Military Construction
XLVII Department of Energy National Security Programs
E Department of State Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
I Organization and operations
A Management and consular affairs
B Human resources
C Political affairs
D Other matters
II Workforce matters
III Information security and cyber diplomacy
IV Public diplomacy
V Diplomatic security
VI Miscellaneous
F Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
LXI Intelligence Activities
LXII Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System
LXIII Intelligence Community Matters
LXIV Intelligence Community Efficiency and Effectiveness
LXV Matters Relating to Elements of the Intelligence Community
A Central Intelligence Agency
B Elements of Department of Defense
C Federal Bureau of Investigation
LXVI Artificial Intelligence and Other Emerging Technologies
A Artificial Intelligence
B Biotechnology
C Other matters
LXVII Matters Relating to Foreign Countries
A Matters Relating to China
B Other Matters
LXVIII Reports and Other Matters
G Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
LXXI Coast Guard
A Authorization of appropriations
B Accountability
LXXII Organization, Authorities, Acquisition, and Personnel of the Coast Guard
A Authorities
B Acquisition
C Personnel
D Coast Guard Academy
E Reports and Policies
LXXIII Shipping and Navigation
A Merchant Mariner Credentials
B Vessel Safety
C Ports
D Matters Involving Uncrewed Systems
E Other Matters
LXXIV Oil Pollution Response
LXXV Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Response
A Accountability Implementation
B Misconduct
C Other matters
LXXVI Comptroller General Reports
LXXVII Amendments
H Other Matters
LXXXI Financial Services Matters
LXXXII Judiciary Matters
LXXXIII Foreign Affairs Matters
A Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2025
B BUST Fentanyl Act
C Western Balkans democracy and prosperity
D Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025
E Other Matters
LXXXIV National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
B South Pacific Tuna Treaty matters
C Other Matters
LXXXV Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act of 2025
A General Matters
B Imposition of Sanctions
C Prohibition and notification on investments relating to covered national security transactions
D Securities and Related Matters
LXXXVI Securing the Airspace, Facilitating Emergency Response, and Safeguarding Key Infrastructure, Entertainment Venues, and Stadiums
LXXXVII DFC Modernization and Reauthorization Act of 2025
A Definitions and Less Developed Country Focus
B Management of Corporation
C Authorities Relating to the Provision of Support
D Other Matters
LXXXVIII Other Matters