Congressman Hamadeh Delivers Dozens of Defense Bill Wins for Arizona’s Troops, Bases, and Industry
WASHINGTON D.C. – This week, Congressman Abraham J. Hamadeh successfully led the charge for Arizona’s military communities, installations, and defense industrial base—delivering dozens of wins in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), during the bill’s 13-hour marathon amendment process.
Congressman Hamadeh is the only Arizona Member of the House Armed Services Committee and staked bold, common-sense positions for Arizona’s 8th District—and for base communities and job creators across State 48.
Notable in today’s era, numerous achievements by Congressman Hamadeh are bipartisan, bicameral wins for Arizona—delivering mirror victories in both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. All of Congressman Hamadeh’s amendments were unanimously passed by voice.
Congressman Hamadeh and his staff diligently gathered input from Arizona’s servicemembers, veterans, commanders, small businesses, and all colleagues in Congress.
"I am grateful to my fellow Arizonans and members of the Arizona Congressional Delegation for their input and support of these monumental achievements for our state. They range from investing in cutting edge technology for our warfighters, to preserving our rich military history, to making sure service members are not financially burdened when they want to bring family pets home from abroad,” stated Congressman Hamadeh.
“My constituents and American voices are being heard on the issues that these amendments address to make sure that we are spending the taxpayers’ money carefully and in a way that addresses the critical national defense and quality of life issues of today and tomorrow,” stated Congressman Hamadeh.
Freshmen Members of the House Armed Services Committee are typically expected to notch only a handful of wins. Congressman Hamadeh’s office is a policy powerhouse, delivering more than 30 wins:
Wins for Arizona’s 8th District
1. Suicide Prevention Oversight for Servicemembers
Requires the Secretary of Defense to report on suicide prevention resources enacted under The Brandon Act—named after AZ-8 servicemember Brandon Caserta, who was a victim of suicide. Co-led with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
2. Defending Luke Air Force Base’s One-Star General Leadership
Requires the Secretary of the Air Force to produce a report on operational impacts, workforce demands, and costs prior to downgrading the leadership of a major base—such as what Luke now faces.
3. Research for Next Generation Body Armor for Our Warfighters
Chinese and Russian small arms munitions can pierce even our best body armor—this requires a report on progress and plans towards innovating next-gen protection made in Peoria by Mayor Jason Beck’s TYR Tactical.
4. Cutting Onerous Machine Gun Transfer Regulations on Industry
Ends red tape requiring “babysitting” of machine guns by license holders during fitment and testing—a huge savings for AZ-8 and national defense industry. Co-led with Rep. Don Davis (D-NC).
5. US-Mexico Airspace Cooperation
Arizona’s Air Force, Marine, and Army flight and electronic warfare training programs at Luke, MCAS Yuma, and Ft. Huachuca lack the space to train effectively, and border drone threats are greater than ever. This requires the Secretary of Defense to explore unprecedented cooperation with Mexico.
6. Reliable Air Conditioning for Luke Air Force Base
Requiring the Secretary of the Air Force to present a plan to address constant breakdowns, sweltering conditions, and cost-inefficient HVAC systems at Luke AFB.
7. Investment to Improve Submariner Quality of Life
AZ-8 is home to a leading innovator for a new way to recycle air in submarines—and this one is more reliable and doesn’t produce a disturbing fish smell byproduct.
8. Investment in the Sharpest Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Satellite Imagery
AZ-8 will produce the most exquisite gyroscopes to accelerate our ability to track threats and support space domain dominance and also requires a briefing from the Secretary of the Air Force.
Wins for Arizona
1. Protecting Ft. Huachuca’s Electronic Proving Ground from 44% Staff Cuts
A world-class electronic warfare testing facility, rapid Reduction In Force cuts in October could harm the Electronic Proving Ground and Ft. Huachuca’s future—this requires a comprehensive review and report before the Department of Defense makes it final. Co-led with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
2. Saving Mesa’s Apache Helicopter Factory Jobs
Mesa’s remanufactured Apache line was on track to shut down, but Congressman Hamadeh secured an order for three additional conversions of AH-64D to AH-64E models. Coordinated with Reps. Biggs (R-AZ) and Stanton (D-AZ).
3. Preserving History, Freeing 5 Legendary T-37 Jets from Tucson’s Boneyard
1269 T-37 trainer jets were built, but only 41 remain in Tucson’s boneyard. These jets trained aces, astronauts, our first female aviators, and President Bush—and now, the Arizona Aviation Historical Group is going to bring one back to its former glory, promoting historical preservation, STEM, aviation education, and recruitment. Co-led with Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
4. Showcasing Arizona’s Test and Training Range Capabilities
Following Congressman Hamadeh’s statements on the Armed Services Committee, this directs the Secretary of Defense to demonstrate an unprecedented Western Training Range Complex linking bases, airspaces, and military branches to simulate joint kinetic (think bombs) and non-kinetic (think GPS jamming) warfare. Co-led with Sen. Kelly (D-AZ).
5. Defending Ft. Huachuca’s Water Access from Radical Environmentalist Lawfare
This requires the Department of Defense to provide a plan to ensure the base has water access unimpeded by lawfare, and which can surge to meet mission demands, such as the ongoing Joint Task Force-Southern Border.
6. Improving Safety at Barry M. Goldwater Range
For just $1.1 million, this helps ensure network coverage for the vast range, preventing bombing range accidents and preventing smuggling and trafficking in the area.
7. Commending Davis-Monthan’s New Air Force Special Operations Wing
This “Item of Special Interest” language reinforces Congressional support for the decision and need to establish more power projection wings, as in Arizona.
8. Recognizing Arizona’s Potential in Autonomous, Swarm-Capable Robotics
This “Item of Special Interest” language notes the value of small, attritable, modular autonomous ground vehicles capable of swarm operations—and they’re developed in AZ.
9. Bolstering Reserve Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs Capabilities
Amid surging demands for active duty PSYOP and CA special operations, this requires the Secretary of the Army, the Commanding General of Army Special Operations, and the Chief of the Army Reserve to provide a briefing on efforts to integrate units like Buckeye, Arizona’s 492nd Civil Affairs Battalion into the Army Transformation Initiative.
10. Expanding Arizona’s Air National Guard Refueling Fleet
This language raises the floor of the number of refueling tankers required in the fleet, paving the way for more KC-135s for units like Phoenix’s 161st Air Refueling Wing.
11. Countering Cross-Border Tunnel Threats
This language extends the partnership with Israel to apply lessons from counter-tunnel operations to Arizona’s own emerging cross-border tunnel threats and preparing our forces for similar engagements abroad.
12. Second-Source Standard Missile-6 Rocket Motor Production Report and Investment
This language and investment supports reducing bottlenecks in the U.S. Navy’s mainstay missile, produced in Tucson, Arizona.
13. Collaborative Combat Aircraft Propulsion Development
This investment fast-tracks customizing existing jet engine production in Phoenix for use in autonomous aircraft.
14. Increased Investment in Dump Trucks for Arizona Army National Guard
Congressman Hamadeh backed a boost in acquisition of dump trucks for the Army National Guard, including Arizona, that improves safety and reliability for disaster response and recovery.
15. Directed Energy Weapon Industrial Base Development
This requires a briefing from the Secretary of Defense that sends the demand signals necessary to develop our next-generation of counter-drone directed energy weapons—many of which will be developed and manufactured in Arizona.
16. Regenerative Space-Based Solar Production Technology
This requires the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a briefing on the space solar manufacturing industrial base—which China currently dominates, but Tempe innovation is not far behind.
17. Recognition of Arizona State University-Led Irregular Warfare Consortium
This commends the DoD’s Irregular Warfare Center, led by Arizona State University, and requires a briefing by the Secretary of Defense on long-term strategy for the Irregular Warfare Center’s inter-agency training and seminars.
18. Exploring Modern Approaches to Missile Inventory Shortfalls
America’s precision-guided munitions inventory and manufacturing base is not prepared for future conflict. This applauds the establishment of the Enterprise Test Vehicle program, and directs the Secretary of Defense with the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to provide a briefing on plans to enter contracts for advanced air vehicles that use innovative and cost-effective processes and how those innovations can be applied to other programs of record.
National Wins
1. Pets are Family, too: Allowing DoD Personnel to Fly Abroad with up to 3 Cats and Dogs
Up to now, only State Department employees and families could receive an exception to the Fly America Act, allowing the use of a foreign airline that would accept up to three pets. This ensures DoD personnel, and their families are treated the same.
2. Guilt Upon Suspicion? Increasing Oversight on “Titling” Practices in the Military
This report language requires a review of unjust “titling” practices, recommendations to protect servicemember privacy from adverse consequences of being unfairly titled and looks at expungement and redress mechanisms. Coordinated with Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL).
3. Report on Security Clearance Process Accountability, Transparency, and Responsiveness
Endless delays and stonewalling for security clearance applicants puts careers and lives on hold—this report will also ensure that not only is the Department of Defense examining ways to better engage with applicants, but that we have the cleared worker pipeline that can meet surge demands for a future conflict.
4. High Altitude Balloons and Platforms Report
This ensures that China isn’t the only one with the most advanced military spy balloon capabilities, by requiring a report from the Secretary of Defense on current efforts and review of their future potential to support our warfighter.
5. Extending Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Partnerships in Iraq and Syria
This authorizes a one-year continuation for America’s train and equip program key to reducing boots on the ground and preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State.
6. US Leadership in Space-Based LiDAR
This requires the Air Force and Space Force to provide a briefing on our strategy, progress, and challenges in sustaining US leadership over China in space-based LiDAR, which provides high-resolution observation, targeting, and object identification.
Congressman Hamadeh looks forward to working with his colleagues in the Senate to ensure the advances made in the House land on President Donald J. Trump’s desk as part of their shared commitment to Peace Through Strength.