Congressman Don Davis Votes to Advance 29 Eastern North Carolina Defense Priorities in FY 2027 NDAA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Don Davis (NC-01), Vice Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, advanced 29 provisions through committee passage of H.R. 8800, National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027. He joined his colleagues in voting for a fourth consecutive year to pass the annual defense bill in the committee, with a bipartisan vote margin of 44-12. The package includes a range of priorities championed by Congressman Davis to strengthen military readiness, support servicemembers and military families, and reinforce the strategic importance of eastern North Carolina's defense infrastructure.

The provisions would bolster key military installations that anchor eastern North Carolina's defense economy, including Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, while supporting the communities that play a vital role in the nation's defense. The legislation advances investments in military construction, workforce development, quality-of-life improvements, and national security capabilities to help ensure eastern North Carolina remains at the forefront of military readiness.

"These essential investments will not only benefit eastern North Carolina's economy, but also support our military families and safeguard the American people as threats continue to emerge from Iran and other adversaries around the globe," said Congressman Don Davis. "By investing in our military installations, advancing cutting-edge technologies, and supporting American manufacturing, these provisions help ensure our servicemembers remain prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. I am proud to advance legislation that supports our troops and delivers for eastern North Carolina."

The House Armed Services Committee's passage of H.R. 8800 means that 29 provisions, including those below championed by Congressman Davis, will advance in the legislative process for a full House vote:

• Improving Aircraft Mission Readiness at Cherry Point: Supports the artificial intelligence (AI) pilot program initiated through the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) based in Havelock, NC, to address perennial challenges in asset availability, starting with the MV-22B Osprey platform.
• F-35 Lightning II Sustainment: Establishes multi-year procurement authority for the fighter platform, further stabilizing spare parts availability, enhancing fleet readiness, and reducing life cycle costs. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point currently hosts F-35 squadrons.
• Standing Up to Drug Cartels: Requires a report on the urgent threat posed by and combat tactics to counter fiber optic-guided and first-person-view unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) employed by Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs).
• Enhancing Preparedness for Biological Threats to the Warfighter: Requires the Department of Defense to brief Congress on plans to ensure a stable, secure, and sustainable stockpile of anthrax countermeasures in the event of a biological attack on the homeland.
• Improving Biodefense Capabilities: Requires a briefing on the best strategies to further develop effective countermeasures to address the threat that biological agents pose to the warfighter, and the public-private partnerships underway to further such research.
• Expansion of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Logistics and Supply Chain Optimization: Directs the Air Force to deploy AI-enabled maintenance data cleansing and correction tools across Air Education and Training Command to improve the quality and usability of maintenance and logistics data.
• AI-Enabled Logistics Supply Chain Funding: Authorizes $22 million for a pilot program to deploy AI-enabled technology to predict future aircraft maintenance challenges.
• Supporting American-made Textiles: Builds on a provision in the Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA by reiterating the value of the Berry Amendment to the domestic textile industrial base in North Carolina and across America, and requiring a briefing on efforts to strengthen compliance with the Berry Amendment and Buy American requirements for textile and apparel items.
• Keeping Troops Safe: Builds on a provision in the Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA to study counter-drone infiltrations on American military bases and supports the $10 million authorization in FY 2026 for base security technology at three Air Force bases.
• Tobacco Harm Reduction: Allows the Department of Defense to establish a pilot program for servicemembers who smoke by providing them with smokeless tobacco alternatives, including nicotine patches and gum.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research Funding Increase: Provides an additional $5 million for the Physics-based Neutralizations of Threats to Human Tissues and Organs Research (PANTHER) program through the Office of Naval Research to address TBIs suffered by servicemembers.
• Health Data for Troops: Establishes a pilot program to provide servicemembers, prior to separation, with a secure, approved mobile Personal Health Record, giving veterans immediate and permanent access to their information and the ability to securely share records with the Department of Veterans Affairs, private providers, or legal representatives.
• Promoting American Battery Production: Supports securing the domestic critical mineral and battery supply chain to prevent influence from the People's Republic of China.
• Assessing Name, Image, and Likeness for Service Academy Athletes: Establishes a Military Service Academy Panel to review the impacts of NCAA rules on compensation of athletes, as well as the transfer portal for athletes on the military service academies.
• Promoting Military Public Health: Directs the Department of Defense to report on influenza policy changes announced in April 2026, including how the changes compare to the Department's longstanding prior policies and their impact on force readiness.
• Addressing Affordability in the Force: Directs a report on the leading cost-of-living and financial literacy challenges servicemembers and their families are facing to enhance their quality of life.
• Slowing Military Equipment Aging: Provides $5.5 million through the Army National Guard's Controlled Humidity Preservation (CHP) program to utilize specialized technology to prevent moisture-induced corrosion on vehicles, electronics, and weapons.
• Suicide Prevention: Requires reporting on emerging virtual reality technology that provides real-time mental health training for servicemembers so they are prepared to assist fellow troops suffering from acute or chronic suicidal ideation.
• Simplifying Military Personnel Data: Requires a report on the imperative to shift from siloed legacy data management systems to a single, human capital management platform, therefore enhancing operational success in contested environments.
• Saluting Our Canines: Requires a report on best practices to enhance military working dog wellness and long-term sustainability.

  Congressman Don Davis is a 1994 U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, a member of its Board of Visitors, and a U.S. Air Force veteran. He serves as the Vice Ranking Member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, where he serves on the Readiness and Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittees.