{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2025/12/military/blackburn-applauds-final-passage-of-fy26-national-defense-bill-with-wins-for-tennessee", "Blackburn Applauds Final Passage of FY26 National Defense Bill with Wins for Tennessee", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "Senate", "TN", "Marsha Blackburn", "B001243", "www.blackburn.senate.gov", "blackburn", "https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/news/cc8c80c1-d564-4bbb-93a4-f1d772346ae0", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement following the final passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA authorizes funding levels and sets policies for the U.S. military. Senator Blackburn secured multiple provisions for Tennessee in the NDAA.\n\n\u201cThis year\u2019s national defense bill will help safeguard U.S. national security and support our men and women in uniform by enabling the Department of War to carry out President Trump\u2019s Peace through Strength agenda and ensuring we are prepared for the formidable threats posed by the New Axis of Evil,\u201d said Senator Blackburn. \u201cTennessee\u2019s tens of thousands of service members and military installations play a vital role in that mission, and this legislation will ban harmful DEI programs, modernize critical infrastructure, fund important research programs, and strengthen national security.\u201d\n\nBLACKBURN-SECURED NDAA WINS FOR TENNESSEE\n\nBelow is a list of key priorities for Tennessee included in the FY26 NDAA:\n\nFort Campbell Modernization Projects\n\nReplaces the current 49-year-old tower, which is the oldest tower on any power projection platform and is in desperate need of adequate height, space, and visibility for modern operations.\n\nProvides modern housing for the 101st Airborne Division.\n\nArmy National Guard Projects\n\nFunding for planning and design to support the Smyrna Training Site.\n\nResearch and Development in Tennessee\n\nExpands Vanderbilt\u2019s Pathfinder-Air Assault project with the Army to include the Tennessee National Guard.\n\nProvides funding for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Vanderbilt-led program to build secure, robust, and dependable artificial intelligence models.\n\nSupport for Oak Ridge Reservation\n\nContinues U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration funding to support national security operations, environmental cleanup, and long-term modernization across the Oak Ridge Reservation, including the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.\n\nADDITIONAL NDAA WINS\n\nBelow is a list of additional critical wins secured in the FY26 NDAA:\n\nQuantum Readiness Strategy (Provision Secured by Senator Blackburn)\n\nRequires the U.S. Department of Defense to submit a strategy to Congress on quantum readiness.\n\nEnsures the U.S. is prepared to compete with foreign adversaries\u2019 advances in quantum.\n\nReturning the U.S. Department of War (DoW) to Its Warfighting Mission and Eliminating Wokeness\n\nRepeals DEI statutes within the DoW and prohibits new DEI-related practices.\n\nProtects women\u2019s sports at service academies by prohibiting men from participating in women\u2019s athletic programs.\n\nImproving Service Member Quality of Life\n\nAuthorizes a 3.8% pay raise for service members.\n\nBans cell phones in DoW schools.\n\nImproves information-sharing with state veterans\u2019 agencies to connect service members transitioning out of service with benefits.\n\nModernizes the military food program and provides service members with healthier and more affordable dining options.\n\nSupporting President Trump\u2019s Efforts to Secure the Southern Border and Defend the Homeland\n\nExtends provisions keeping Guantanamo Bay open for Law of War detainees.\n\nAllows governors to utilize active National Guard and Reserve personnel for disaster response.\n\nAdvancing Reform of the Pentagon\u2019s Budgeting & Acquisition Processes\n\nRequires a Secretary of War report on audit progress and options to accelerate activities to meet the 2028 audit deadline.\n\nBuilding on President Trump\u2019s Military Recruitment Surge\n\nIncreases required Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) units by 100 and authorizes a bonus for new instructors.\n\nStrengthening Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2025/12/military/blackburn-applauds-final-passage-of-fy26-national-defense-bill-with-wins-for-tennessee"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7903920486569405, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}