Pfluger Secures Big Wins in Defense Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) secured major wins in the FY 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House today. The NDAA is the legislative vehicle that authorizes policies, programs, and spending for the Department of War.

As a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, fighter pilot with nearly two decades of experience, and retired Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Rep. Pfluger has been an outspoken advocate for ensuring this legislation properly equips the Department of War to implement President Trump's National Security agenda of Peace Through Strength. To applaud its passage, Rep. Pfluger released the following statement:

"Today's House passage of the FY2027 NDAA is another decisive step toward President Trump's Peace Through Strength agenda and restoring America's military dominance. This bill invests in our lethality, arming our forces to deter or defeat any adversary who threatens our nation. It eliminates the waste, fraud, and abuse that has drained resources from our warfighters for years, putting every one of those dollars back into the readiness and capabilities they actually need. Most importantly, it delivers for the men and women who protect our freedom with a pay raise of 5 to 7 percent because service members should never have to worry about providing for their families. This bill reflects our commitment to a stronger, more lethal, and more accountable military."

The bill included several provisions led by Rep. Pfluger to modernize and support our armed forces:

· Pilot Program for Integrated Cognitive Performance for Military Readiness: directs the Secretary of War to establish a pilot program that integrates live performance training, cognitive tools, always-on digital support, and evidence-based sleep and stress resources into a single, integrated capability for our service members and their families. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Reserve Rank Retirement: allows non-regular service to count toward time-in-grade, while explicitly ensuring it cannot be used to calculate retired pay or any other benefit; this is a targeted, fiscally neutral fix that recognizes the value of reserve service. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Service Member Transitional Healthcare Enrollment: addresses the administrative delay that leaves transitioning servicemembers eligible for but unable to enroll in transitional health care for up to 10 days, by requiring the Secretary of Defense to establish a process to enroll members within 2 business days of the start of their eligibility period. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Pilot Program to Evaluate Critical Supply Chain Interference & Infiltration by Adversaries directs the Secretary of War to stand up a pilot program with private-sector partners to independently and physically verify, at the chipset level, whether commercial electronics used across our military installations are what they claim to be. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Authorized End Strength at the U.S. Air Force Academy: restores the cadet wing to 4,400 cadets and align resources accordingly and commends the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force for their attention to this matter, including actions to return USAFA to its statutory capacity. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Strategy to Improve Academic Outcomes at USAFA: requires the Superintendent to submit to the congressional defense committees and the Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the Academy a report containing a strategy to improve academic outcomes at the Academy. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Redesignate the Dean of the Faculty of USAFA as Provost and Dean of the Faculty: redesignates the position of Dean of the Faculty as Provost and Dean of the Faculty. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Review the future of Service Academy Athletics: requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a panel to review the impacts of NCAA rules with respect to compensation of athletes as well as the transfer portal for athletes on the military service academies. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Streamline Congressional Communications with each Board of Visitors: requires the Secretary of Defense to appoint civilian employees for each of the military departments to serve as the congressional communications officials for the Board of Visitors of each of the military service academies. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Revoke Security Clearances for 1260H Lobbyists: requires the Secretary of War to revoke security clearances for former Department of War personnel who engage in lobbying activities on behalf of China. Read the full text of the provision here.

· Pass-Through Budget Transparency: requires the Secretary of War to provide a briefing on the Department's use, reporting, and management of pass-through funding and efforts to improve transparency in the presentation of such funding within budget justification materials. Read the full text of the provision here.

Awarding Major Robert Lodge with Medal of Honor (Partnered with Rep. Don Bacon): authorizes the President of the United States to award the Medal of Honor to Major Robert Lodge for his heroic actions on May 10, 1972, during the Vietnam War. Read the full text of the provision here.