U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which was approved by the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 77-20. The legislation authorizes $925.8 billion for U.S. defense and national security programs.
The NDAA includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel and increased investment in military construction projects across Alaska. Projects at Eielson Air Force Base include new facilities such as the Base Civil Engineer Pavements & Ground Facility, Coal Thaw Shed Addition, Consolidated Munitions Complex, and the JPARC Operations Facility. Fort Wainwright will receive new barracks and a dining facility, while Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is set to gain a Base Supply Complex, Joint Integrated Test and Training Center, and Maintenance Facility.
An amendment from Senator Murkowski will expand the Defense Community Infrastructure Program to allow demolition projects to qualify for assistance, aiming to help communities modernize outdated structures near military installations.
Senator Murkowski stated: “Our servicemembers and their families sacrifice so much to defend our nation, and Senator Murkowski has always prioritized that Congress provide the support they need to execute their mission and provide for their loved ones.”
The NDAA also directs the Department of Defense to establish a government-funded travel program allowing unaccompanied servicemembers stationed overseas to return home for leave. This initiative was first introduced by Senator Murkowski through her Arctic Warrior Act in 2022.
Other provisions include changes to payment requirements for participation in the Department of Defense’s Regional Centers for Security Studies—such as the Ted Stevens Center at JBER—to expand allied nations’ involvement in training opportunities. The bill also authorizes $11.2 million for cold weather gear modernization and $5 million each for aerial fire suppression capabilities and nuclear micro-reactor development.
The NDAA further invests in defense technology innovation by adding nuclear fission and fusion energy to eligible technologies under defense innovation programs. It calls for a comprehensive study on U.S. space launch capacity that acknowledges Alaska’s potential role in national space defense initiatives.
Additionally, the act supports missile defense efforts with up to $200 million allocated toward Israel’s missile defense capabilities via the Golden Dome program, provides $500 million for Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and extends this initiative through 2028.
