Rep. Peters Secures Critical Priorities for Servicemembers, Military Bases, and San Diego in Annual Defense Budget

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, legislation passed nearly every year to fund the U.S. defense for the upcoming fiscal year.

"This year's NDAA delivers real wins for our service members, their families, and for San Diego," Rep. Peters said. "I'm glad to see my Smart Ship Repair Act for 2025 included; San Diego is home to a vibrant ship repair industry that accounts for over 8,000 jobs and contributed more than $3.7 billion to the region's economy in 2023. This year's NDAA also includes a pay raise for our troops, major infrastructure upgrades at California bases, and significant funding for the science and technology programs that support our servicemembers, power San Diego's economy, and keep our nation safe."

He continued, "This bill, however, leaves out a key priority of mine: the Build More Housing Near Transit Act. This measure, originally included in the Senate's ROAD to Housing Act, passed the Senate attached to the upper chamber's version of the NDAA. The exclusion of the ROAD to Housing Act is a missed opportunity to address our nation's housing shortage with proven solutions that would speed up building and drive down costs. The FY26 NDAA also excludes several items that have bipartisan support, including expanded access to IVF, re-establishment of the State Department's Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, and protecting collective bargaining rights for thousands of Department of Defense civilian employees. I am disappointed these items were left out of the final text."

Rep. Peters' Smart Ship Repair Act of 2025 (SSRA) extends the time a ship must remain in its home port before the Navy can send it elsewhere for repairs from 12 to 18 months. Previously, San Diego-based ships needing more than a year of maintenance could be reassigned to other West Coast yards offering lower bids. This practice disrupts San Diego's ship repair workforce and can force sailors to spend extended time away from their families after long deployments. Rep. Peters' SSRA of 2024 was included in last year's NDAA.

The FY26 NDAA also:

• Includes a 3.8% military pay raise for all servicemembers.
• Authorizes funding for military construction projects in San Diego including $86 million for a new mess hall and armory, fire emergency response station, and communication center at Camp Pendleton; $144.9 million for unaccompanied housing, aircraft carrier infrastructure improvements, and a Naval Special Warfare facility at Naval Base Coronado; $68 million for a new cyber lab at Naval Base Point Loma; and $86 million for a Child Development Center at Naval Base San Diego.
• Authorizes $18.9 billion for science and technology programs that benefit San Diego's defense economy.
• Authorizes $26 billion for shipbuilding, including funding for the TAO Fleet Oiler program. The oiler is built in San Diego.
• Authorizes $38 billion for new Navy and Air Force aircraft, including the MQ-1C, MQ-4 Triton, and MQ-9, which are produced by San Diego-based companies.
• Conditions the Defense Secretary's travel budget on the release of footage related to a "double tap" strike carried out in the Caribbean, killing two allegedly defenseless survivors.
• Requires notifications and detailed justifications for removal of general officers and greater transparency and reporting on the use of military aircraft, personnel, and installations for immigration enforcement.
• Authorizes funding for critical foreign national security priorities, including $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, $1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation initiative, and provides $650 million for U.S.-Israel defensive weapons.

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