Washington D.C. — Foreign Policy for America (FP4A) welcomes the release of the final text of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. While far from perfect, the legislation reflects a serious effort by lawmakers to reestablish Congress’ role in setting U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities. It also includes several provisions that facilitate diplomacy and principled American engagement in the world, while largely avoiding culture war issues.
In particular, FP4A applauds negotiators for including a State Department Authorization Act for the fifth year in a row, underscoring bipartisan congressional support for the Department and its diplomatic mission. The legislation will protect workforce recruitment initiatives like the Pickering and Rangel fellowship programs, and advances efforts to modernize the Department through establishing a pilot data and AI program to encourage diplomatic posts to lean into the innovative use of AI. However, we note with regret that lawmakers failed to address the administration’s systematic gutting of the Department, taking no action to push back on the destruction of key offices already codified into law like the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs.
The final text includes the long-term reauthorization of the Development Finance Corporation, strengthening its development mandate while expanding its capacity to make strategic investments overseas, including in high-income countries. These new authorities broaden the Corporation’s reach, enabling it to offer high-standard American alternatives to Chinese financing across more countries and sectors.
“With this reauthorization, Congress has equipped the Development Finance Corporation with unprecedented flexibility to operate in wealthier countries,” said Brian Volsky, FP4A’s Policy Director. “Sustained congressional oversight will be essential to ensure that the Corporation limits its high-income work to areas with real strategic need while remaining laser-focused on addressing long-term development goals.”
FP4A also commends the inclusion of provisions that will repeal the outdated 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force against Iraq. These obsolete authorizations were passed decades ago to approve military operations against the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq. Keeping them on the books raises the risk that they could be invoked to justify new military operations far exceeding the law’s original intent. Repealing these authorizations has long garnered bipartisan support and has been a standing priority for the FP4A community.
Other positive provisions in the defense bill include:
As in prior years, however, this legislation perpetuates a stark imbalance between U.S. investments in defense capabilities and the resourcing of diplomacy and development programs. When Congress neglects America’s non-military tools of global engagement, we lose our ability to influence the world, competitors fill the gaps, and the demands on our military servicemembers grow. FP4A continues to call for Congress to right size its approach to defense, diplomacy, and development.
FP4A also objects to provisions that undermine nuclear risk reduction, including prohibiting the reduction of U.S. intercontinental ballistic missiles. We have less than 100 days before the expiration of the last remaining arms control treaty between the United States and Russia. Rather than blocking negotiations, Congress should be taking urgent steps to prevent a costly and dangerous new nuclear arms race. FP4A looks forward to working with lawmakers to promote renewed diplomatic efforts to address nuclear threats.
###
