Congress passed the FY 2026 Defense Appropriations Act Feb. 3, avoiding another longstanding government shutdown and preserving critical military funding after advocacy from ROA.
On Jan. 30, ROA sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (SD) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) urging the Senate to advance the House passed Defense Appropriations Act as a standalone bill if negotiations on remaining appropriations measures stalled.
Disagreements over a House appropriations package that included funding for the Department of Homeland Security had pushed the government to the brink of a shutdown.
Senators ultimately separated the DHS budget from the rest of the appropriations bills, allowing the defense measure to move forward.
The package includes several priorities championed by ROA, including:
• $800 million for the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account
• $976 million for six C 130J aircraft for the Air National Guard
• $500 million for four KC 130J aircraft for the Navy Reserve
• $1.9 billion for continued development of the B 21 Raider
• $6.4 billion for munitions procurement, including $2.1 billion for multiyear production capacity
• $429.5 million for the Defense Innovation Unit
• $193.3 billion for military personnel accounts, $10.8 billion above fiscal 2025 levels
“Allowing these investments to be delayed or jeopardized by broader appropriations impasses would impose real and avoidable costs on readiness, morale and national security,” ROA CEO retired Army Maj. Gen. John B. Hashem wrote in the letter. “The men and women who serve, and the missions they execute, should not bear the consequences of unrelated funding disputes.”
Following passage, the office of Majority Leader Thune acknowledged ROA’s engagement and opened the door for future collaboration.
[See attached letter]