Washington, D.C. — Last night, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, voted to send H.R. 3838, the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, to the full House of Representatives. If enacted into law, this NDAA would mark the 65th consecutive year in which Congress has passed this critical law for national security. The committee reported the bill as amended by a vote of 56 to 2.
“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, it’s important to me that the Department of Defense is a good neighbor to those that reside in Hawai’i and takes the utmost care to protect our most vulnerable communities,” said Rep. Tokuda. “By mandating the Department to more accurately capture its housing needs, we can plan for a proper amount of military workforce housing while responding to the local impact of the military’s presence on Hawaii’s limited supply of affordable homes. I also fought for new reporting mandates for cases of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and child abuse to ensure that the Department of Defense meets its responsibility to care for our military families.”
"In response to the tragic deaths of Mischa Johnson and her unborn child, I worked with my colleagues to increase the maximum sentence for voluntary manslaughter cases under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This important change strengthens military justice and ensures that future violent criminals face consequences as serious as the strong laws in Hawai‘i and other states,” continued Rep. Tokuda.
“These various provisions directly address the challenges facing our military families, from including civilian employees in housing market analyses to ensuring swift reporting of abuse and neglect. By holding the Department accountable for the safety of servicemembers and their families, these measures reflect our commitment to their well-being.”
The bill, as amended, also includes several top priorities for Hawai‘i and for servicemembers, veterans, Department of Defense civilian employees, and their families secured by Rep. Tokuda, including:
- A requirement for the Department of Defense to report to Congress quarterly on efforts to combat sexual assault, sexual harassment, and intimate partner violence;
- A requirement to review and increase the maximum sentence for voluntary manslaughter under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, currently much lower than the maximum sentence in Hawai‘i and many other states, which came to light amid the prosecution for the gruesome killing of Hawai‘i resident Mischa Johnson and her unborn child by her Soldier husband;
- The full inclusion of Department of Defense civilian employees and contractors in the military’s regular housing market analyses, plus an independent review of the suitability of Department of Defense land in Hawai‘i for housing construction for service members to help address the military’s impact on the local housing market;
- A 24-hour parental notification requirement for child abuse and neglect that occurs at Department of Defense child and youth programs, plus a 72-hour congressional notification requirement to hold the Department accountable;
- A provision to prevent the Trump Administration from decommissioning oceanographic ships, like the Kilo Moana, without providing a plan to maintain and recapitalize the oceanographic fleet;
- A new authority to fund ordnance disposal through intergovernmental support agreements, opening up a new possibility for local and state governments in Hawai‘i and throughout the nation to assist in the demining of formerly used defense lands;
- An independent review of the military’s efforts to prevent criminal activity and other misconduct by service members stationed in Okinawa, Japan, along with reporting requirements on the Department’s efforts to improve communication with the local community in Okinawa regarding criminal allegations involving U.S. service members; and
- A review by the Government Accountability Office of the costs and impacts on military readiness of the Trump Administration’s efforts to use the military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for immigration enforcement;
This year’s NDAA also includes other provisions to improve the quality of life for military servicemembers and their families, including a 3.8 percent pay increase for military personnel, extending the “Child Care In Your Home” Pilot Program, and creating a new initiative to provide TRICARE coverage of obstetrical and gynecological care without the need for a referral.
A full summary of the FY 2026 NDAA, as reported by the House Armed Services Committee, can be found here.
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