With Honor Action Sends Letter to Senate Detailing FY27 NDAA Priorities

On March 27, 2026, With Honor Action sent a letter to Senate Allies and Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee detailing our initial priorities for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. These priorities include the Warrior Right to Repair Act, co-led by For Country Caucus members Reps. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) and Jen Kiggans (R-VA), provisions of the SHIPS for America Act, co-led by With Honor Action allies Senators Todd Young (R-IN) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and the expansion of youth service programs.

To With Honor Senate Allies and Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee,  

Each year, With Honor Action endorses several pieces of bipartisan national security legislation. For the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we ask that you consider including the following 20 provisions in your submissions. As we enter an election year that will undoubtedly raise the partisan temperature, this critical, consensus-driven legislation is more important than ever, and the principled leadership demonstrated by the veteran and public service leaders that make up With Honor’s Senate Allies is the path toward a more prosperous and secure nation. 

Modernizing the Department of Defense and Revitalizing the Defense Industrial Base:

1. H.R. 5155 / S. 2209 – Warrior Right to Repair Act of 2025  
2. Special consideration of key national security pieces of the Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security (SHIPS) for America Act (H.R.3151/S.1541):
   1. Sec. 403 – Assessment of Undersea Cable Repair Contingencies
   2. Sec. 512 – Plan of action for use of Defense Production Act of 1950 authorities
   3. Sec. 521 – United States Center for Maritime Innovation
   4. Sec. 616 – Military to maritime transition

Expanding Pathways and Opportunities to Service:

1. Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC)
   1. With Honor Action supports the authorization of funding for the JROTC program at or above the FY26 congressionally-authorized level of $353.9 million.
2. United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC)
   1. With Honor Action supports the authorization of funding for the USNSCC program at or above the FY26 congressionally-authorized level of $4.3 million.
3. Civil Air Patrol (CAP)
   1. With Honor Action supports the authorization of funding for the CAP program at or above the FY26 congressionally-authorized level of $50.3 million for aircraft and maintenance.
4. National Guard STARBASE Program
   1. With Honor Action supports the authorization of funding for the DoD STARBASE program at or above the FY26 congressionally-authorized level of $50 million.

Supporting Our Global Allies & Partners:

1. The establishment of a preservation process for the service records of recognized “Afghan allies” in the Department of Defense.
2. The establishment of a United States – Ukraine Working Group on Unmanned Systems. 
3. Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative (TSCI) 
   1. With Honor Action supports the authorization of funding for TSCI at or above the FY26 authorized level of $1 billion for FY27.

Addressing Military Quality & Ease of Life:

1. H.R. 6383 – Brandon Act Training and Protocol Act 
2. H.R. 7188 / S. 3654 – Military Occupancy Living Defense (MOLD) Act 
3. H.R. 6976 – Duty Status Reform Act  
4. The designation of a senior official responsible for the management and oversight of all programs and activities of the Department of Defense related to the transition of members of the Armed Forces to civilian status. 
5. The expansion of resources to address childcare shortages on Department of Defense installations.

Countering Foreign Malign Influence:

1.  H.R. 6469 – Feasibility Review of Emerging Equipment for Digital Open Media (FREEDOM) Act
2. H.R. 7969 – Combatting Chinese Communist Party Influence Act 
3. Authorization for the Secretaries of Defense and State to support the national security forces of partner countries and actors to counter Russian influence and destabilizing activities. 

Other National Security Matters:

1. The establishment of an Advisory Council on Fiscal Capacity to Meet National Security Requirements.  
2. The modification of the annual report on the military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China to include an assessment of progress toward artificial general intelligence. 
3. Amending the responsibilities of the Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Officer within the Department of Defense, to include addressing threats posed by artificial general intelligence.

Detailed descriptions of these measures can be found in Appendix I, and specific legislative text may be found in Appendix II attached to this letter.

Vice President of Government Affairs, Kaylan Swartz, is available to assist your staff with any follow-up information you may need (swartz@withhonor.org).

Rye Barcott

Co-Founder & CEO

With Honor

You can read the full text of the letter here.

You can read our letter to the 18 members of the For Country Caucus on the House Armed Services Committee on the FY27 NDAA that we sent earlier this year here.