NDAA Passes with NMI Wins
On Wednesday, the House passed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, our annual defense policy bill. This year’s bill included three major wins for the CNMI from amendments that I have been pushing for in Congress. The first allows for the repair and maintenance of military ships in the CNMI. Previously, our local businesses could not compete for military vessel maintenance and repair contracts even when the capability existed. For more than a decade, the Commonwealth has worked to be included in this authority, but the statute has never listed the CNMI as an eligible location. Now that the CNMI is included as an eligible location, that obstacle to contracts is now removed.
The second big win in the bill mandates a comprehensive study on expanding Coast Guard operations in the CNMI, including port visits, deployments, and the potential assignment of fast response cutters. This has been a long-standing request from Commonwealth leaders, given the size of our waters and the need for consistent patrol coverage in the region. The study will determine what operational activity the CNMI can support and what infrastructure may be needed to host increased Coast Guard presence.
Finally, the third big win authorizes the Department of War’s Innovation Readiness Training (IRT) program to purchase necessary supplies and materials for ongoing IRT programs. The IRT program plans training opportunities for the military that match needs in local communities. That means everything from military doctors providing healthcare in our community, to Seabee engineers building our roads and providing technical assistance for local infrastructure improvements. Previously, while the military would provide personnel and equipment like bulldozers, the community would have to provide the needed construction materials. This amendment allows the military to purchase the materials instead, relieving the financial burden on our communities, opening the door to more projects, and existing projects potentially getting completed faster.
I’m grateful my amendments to the bill were adopted and I’m excited for the opportunities they may lead to. The inclusion of these provisions demonstrate the Commonwealth’s important role in the Pacific, and positions our islands to benefit more fully from the increased federal activity in our region. The compromise NDAA is expected to be passed by the Senate next week and signed promptly by the President.