then Add to Home Screen.
Both the House and Senate Armed Services committees include a 3.8% base pay increase for service members in their respective versions of the annual defense policy bill.
The version of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act passed by the SASC on July 9 authorizes $878.7 billion for the Defense Department. The HASC version approved July 15 is the $848.2 billion requested by the Pentagon.
Committee approval is the first step in the lengthy process to approve the NDAA, the must-pass defense policy bill. Last year, the bill was signed into law on Christmas Eve.
Both versions authorize personnel end strength of 328,000 for the Army National Guard and 106,300 for the Air National Guard. Both also extend a prohibition on the reduction of C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft assigned to the Air Guard.
The House and Senate would prevent the Air Force from continuing to retire A-10 Thunderbolt II fighters, but the House would not permit the total inventory to shrink below 162 planes until Oct. 1, 2027.
The Senate prevents the Pentagon from using funds to “retire, prepare to retire, or otherwise divest A-10 aircraft to an inventory level below 103.”
The Air Force wants to divest the remainder of its Warthog fleet. Three Air Guard wings currently operate the fighter.
The SASC measure directs Pentagon officials to collaborate with the chief of the National Guard Bureau and military service component leadership on a report on integrating the reserve component into Cyber Mission Forces.
It also requires a report on the Army’s proposed plan to integrate Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command.
The House bill includes a provision to give no-cost dental coverage under TRICARE to the reserve component; and to expand health care license portability for Guard health care providers for duty and training purposes “from a specific 502(f) status to all duty statuses under Title 32 USC.”
In its markup, the House panel approved amendments to prohibit the Pentagon from using federal funds to rename bases in honor of Confederate figures and would also establish a Center for the Study of the National Guard.
Each chamber could allow for amendments to the committee-approved bills before a final vote in the full House and Senate. For example, while the NGAUS-supported Richard Star Act was not included in either version, it will be introduced as an amendment when the full Senate debates the measure.
The SASC bill can be found here. A NGAUS bill summary for the Senate can be found here.
The HASC bill can be found here. A NGAUS bill summary for the House can be found here.
—By Jennifer G. Hickey
