Sen. Moran Applauds Passage of Annual Defense Legislation, Secures Kansas Priorities

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) - chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation - today released the following statement after voting to pass the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. Sen. Moran and his colleagues secured a commitment from Senate leadership to quickly bring the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act to the Senate floor to advance aviation safety standards, particularly for military helicopters operating in mixed airspace.

"Each year, Congress is tasked with passing the National Defense Authorization Act to make certain our servicemembers are equipped with the resources needed to fulfill their critical mission of defending our nation," said Sen. Moran. "While this legislation is critical to bolstering our defense capabilities, I have major concerns with portions of the bill that could undo safety regulations for military helicopters put in place after the January 29th midair collision near DCA. After numerous conversations, my colleagues and I secured an agreement from Senate leadership that the ROTOR Act will quickly be brought to the Senate floor to reinstate and advance critical safety standards for commercial and military aviation."

"With this agreement, I voted to pass the FY2026 NDAA which will strengthen Kansas' defense capabilities, invest in our military readiness and improve the quality of life for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces," continued Sen. Moran. "The NDAA also authorizes a well-deserved pay increase for our servicemembers and includes my provision that will help strengthen access to medical care for our nation's heroes through greater utilization of military hospitals like Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley."

Sens. Moran and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the ROTOR Act to improve aviation safety in response to the tragic midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that claimed 67 lives on January 29th near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA). The legislation passed the Senate Commerce Committee on October 21st.

Sen. Moran's priorities included in the FY26 NDAA:

• Expands Access to Medical Care for Veterans - Supports Defense Health Agency (DHA) military medical treatment facilities (MTF), such as Irwin Army Community Hospital at Fort Riley, by requiring that DHA and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) create action plans to support greater utilization of military hospitals by veterans and servicemembers.
  
  
• Authorizes New Investments for Fort Riley- Authorizes $26 million to build a new Air Traffic Control tower, $13 million to build an Infantry Platoon Battle Course and $16 million to design a new unaccompanied barracks.
  
  
• Helps Prevent Fires on Navy Ships During Maintenance - Directs the Secretary of the Navy to evaluate flameless alternative technologies for ship maintenance, including press connect fittings, which Viega, based in McPherson, specializes in manufacturing, to combat a growing problem of Navy ships catching fire during repairs.
  
  
• Gives Troops a Pay Raise - Provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for servicemembers.

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