Concord, N.H. – Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and former U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer, secured key provisions in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bipartisan legislation, which passed the House earlier this month, was signed by the President this past week.

The NDAA sets policy for the Department of Defense (DoD) and includes a 3.8% pay raise for service members, alongside critical measures to lower costs for military families, strengthen New Hampshire’s defense economy, and demand greater accountability from the Pentagon.

“Today was a good day for New Hampshire servicemembers, military families, and public servants,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander after the President signed the NDAA into law. “The National Defense Authorization Act is critical bipartisan legislation that defends our national security, advances priorities for New Hampshire, and helps us honor our sacred obligations to the brave women and men who serve our country in uniform.”

Congresswoman Goodlander delivered bipartisan wins for New Hampshire, including:

LOWERING COSTS FOR SERVICE MEMBERS & FAMILIES

• 3.8% Pay Raise: Authorizes a pay increase for America’s service members to help families keep up with the cost of living.
• Lowering Housing Costs: Forces the Pentagon to be transparent about housing allowance calculations to ensure they keep pace with rising rents and requires the DoD to address long-standing shortages.
• Making Childcare Affordable: Creates a pilot program to bolster affordable care and support childcare solutions for employees.
• Healthcare & Food Security: Expands access to food on bases and cracks down on TRICARE’s mail-order pharmacy program issues.
• Supporting Women in America’s Armed Forces: Establishes “Women’s Initiative Teams” across all branches to improve recruitment, retention, and advancement for women in the Armed Forces.

INVESTING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE WORKERS & OUR ECONOMY 

• Protecting New Hampshire Workers: Goodlander led and helped secure critical protections under federal law to prevent hiring freezes, reductions in force, and delays at public shipyards like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY).
• Submarine Procurement: Authorizes nearly $4 billion for Virginia-class submarines and over $5 billion for Columbia-class submarines, ensuring a steady workflow for PNSY’s repair and modernization capabilities.
• NH Manufacturing Wins:
  • Goodlander worked around the clock to secure hundreds of millions of dollars to strengthen supply chains, critical mineral security, ReGen Valley, and the night-vision system produced in southern New Hampshire. 
  • $60 million for Compass Call aircraft mission systems produced in Hudson.
• Bolstering National Guard Readiness: Goodlander championed the TRANSFER Act to help the National Guard retain experienced officers and maintain mission-readiness.

RESTORING CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT & AMERICAN SANITY 

• PFAS Cleanup: Requires a new Pentagon strategy for PFAS cleanup, ensures safe drinking water for affected families, and creates a public dashboard to track progress.
• Honoring Our Fallen Heroes: Classifies cancers as a line-of-duty death for firefighters, ensuring their families receive earned benefits—a key provision of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act that Goodlander has been fighting for since day one.
• War Powers: Repeals outdated 1991 and 2002 Iraq war authorizations.
• Venezuela Oversight: Restricts 25% of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until Congress receives the unedited footage of the Venezuela strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats near Latin America.

CRACKING DOWN ON PENTAGON WASTE, FRAUD & ABUSE

• Right to Repair: Requires a new system to track contractor compliance, ensuring the military can repair its own equipment to save taxpayer money and time.
• Audit & Transparency: Streamlines requirements to move the DoD closer to a clean audit and strengthens oversight of financial systems.
• Oversight of Special Contracts: Mandates a Comptroller General review of “special defense contracts” used to bypass standard transparency rules.

Congresswoman Goodlander has dedicated her life to serving our state and our country. Before taking the oath to represent New Hampshire in the People’s House, she served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve for over a decade.

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