Sen. Tim Scott Secures Defense Wins for South Carolina in NDAA

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) today voted to pass the final version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is now headed to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

“I voted to pass this year’s national defense bill, which refocuses America’s military on strength and readiness while ensuring South Carolina continues to play a vital role in defending the homeland,” said Sen. Scott. “This bill strengthens our ability to counter threats from adversaries like China, supports our service members by making sure their children have access to safe, reliable child care centers while they serve our country, and builds on South Carolina’s leadership in our national defense. Coupled with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the FY26 NDAA will help make sure the United States remains the strongest fighting force in the world.”

Sen. Scott successfully secured the following provisions to support national defense and South Carolina’s military families in the FY26 NDAA:

• Expansion of the Nuclear Power Training Facility Simulation at Joint Base Charleston
  • Improves training for those working with nuclear power, supports national security, and maintains South Carolina’s leadership in developing the nuclear workforce for both military and civilian careers.
• Child Development Center at Fort Jackson
  • Provides high-quality child care for military families, allowing service members to focus on mission readiness while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their children.
• Recruit Barracks at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island
  • Extends construction projects for new recruits at Parris Island.
• Defense Operations at the Savannah River Site (DOE/NNSA)
  • Supports essential national security missions including environmental cleanup, nuclear security, workforce development, and critical infrastructure investments.
• Aircraft Maintenance Hangar at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort
  • Extends the construction project of a new hangar for maintaining F-35B aircraft at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort.
• Cyber Workforce Recruitment and Retention
  • Supports America’s cyber workforce by improving recruitment and retention of cyber talent, boosting national cybersecurity readiness.
• Protecting Sensitive U.S. Defense Installations
  • The Protect Our Bases Act included in the FY26 NDAA strengthens the review process of foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites. Specifically, the legislation:
    • Requires government agencies that are members of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to annually update records on sensitive national security sites;
  • Improves the usability of those records for national security reviews; and
    • Strengthens transparency and accountability through annual reporting to Congress.
  • The legislation was introduced following the attempted 2022 land purchase near Grand Forks Air Force Base by a Chinese-owned company, which exposed shortcomings in the existing review process.
• Extending the Defense Production Act
  • The Defense Production Act (DPA) helps U.S. industries produce goods quickly during times of national emergency. Sen. Scott led efforts in this year’s NDAA to reaffirm and strengthen the DPA’s focus on its core mission:
    • Defense production: Supporting the defense industry, including weapons manufacturing and advanced technologies.
    • Emergency preparedness: Making it easier to respond quickly to natural disasters and other national emergencies.
    • Critical domestic supply chains: Reducing dependence on adversaries like China for rare earth minerals, medicines, and essential defense materials.
  • The DPA has been used effectively in the past, from supplying personal protective equipment during COVID to ramping up disaster relief, and it remains a key part of keeping America safe and prepared.

The FY26 NDAA authorizes $900.6 billion in discretionary defense spending and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes an additional $150 billion in mandatory funding to strengthen our national defense all while saving taxpayers $20 billion by rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.

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