Sorensen Secures Investments in Rock Island Arsenal in the National Defense Authorization Act

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17), member of the House Armed Services Committee, secured several provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to invest in Rock Island Arsenal and fought to protect jobs and collective bargaining rights for civilian employees. Next, the full House of Representatives will have to vote on the NDAA.

"My neighbors at Rock Island Arsenal are incredibly important to both our national security and local economy. I have been fighting to ensure that they can continue to work in the Quad Cities and join a union. In this year's NDAA, I was proud to secure investments in Rock Island Arsenal while protecting the future of its workforce," said Congressman Eric Sorensen.

The FY27 NDAA:

• Bans a hiring freeze on arsenal and depot workers, school and childcare staff, healthcare workers, public safety personnel, and fire and safety positions on installations
  
• Limits funding from being used to implement President Trump's collective bargaining ban
  
• Underscores First Army's importance to the Rock Island Arsenal and requires information on First Army's restructuring, which is slated to bring new personnel to the Rock Island Arsenal
  
• Establishes a program to qualify organic DOD facilities as an alternative supply for castings and forgings for legacy aircraft, providing new opportunities for the Rock Island Arsenal as the Army's only foundry
  
• Prevents the Army from decreasing the workload at the Rock Island Arsenal by more than ten percent without notifying Congress
  
• Bans the closure of the Rock Island Arsenal Museum
  
• Requires the Army to provide information on the Army Command Matching Program that impacted jobs at the Rock Island Arsenal
  
• Mandates the Army plan to comply with minimum staffing requirements for firefighters, ensuring that the Rock Island Arsenal is properly staffed to handle any emergency and our firefighters are not stretched too thin
  
• Requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to answer for their staffing shortages, which has impacted operations at the Rock Island Arsenal and left the auxiliary lock at Lock and Dam 14 closed
  
• Expands the Army's online real estate tool to the other service branches in the Department of Defense, allowing installations like the Rock Island Arsenal to showcase their available real estate and prevent unnecessary new military construction
  
• Strengthens advanced manufacturing guidance to better account for security risks posed by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea

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