Houston Daily

U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security, expressed support for the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. McCaul highlighted several provisions in the bill that he advocated for, emphasizing their importance to national security and military readiness.

“Funding our military, ensuring our warfighters are ready to win against any adversary, and taking care of our servicemembers are some of Congress’ core duties. This year’s NDAA accomplishes those goals and delivers on the president’s peace through strength agenda,” said Rep. McCaul. “In addition to improving our servicemembers’ pay and quality of life, the bill delivers new capabilities to our warfighters at a faster pace, revitalizes our defense industrial base to improve readiness and boost our economy, and funds the Golden Dome, which will protect Americans from modern threats like hypersonic missiles for years to come. I was proud to vote for this bill and ensure our nation is prepared to face — and overcome — the challenges of the 21st century.”

One key provision builds on McCaul’s DFC Modernization Act by increasing investment capacity for partnerships with high-income countries in sectors such as energy and critical minerals. “In the great power competition with China, the DFC is a crucial tool to form partnerships that strengthen U.S. national security. Much like my DFC Modernization Act, this provision will increase the DFC's investment firepower and allow us to partner with high-income countries in important sectors like energy, critical minerals, and rare earths. I’m proud to have played a role in the inception of this provision, which will make the DFC more effective in advancing U.S. interests around the globe,” said Rep. McCaul.

Another section restricts outbound investments using a sector-based approach that McCaul has long supported. “For years, I’ve worked to prevent American investment dollars from flowing into sectors that empower our adversaries' military development and surveillance states. The comprehensive and preventative approach in this provision will ensure the CCP and other adversaries cannot leverage U.S. capital to prop up their war machines and advance their malign agendas,” said Rep. McCaul.

The NDAA also includes text from the AUKUS Improvement Act introduced by McCaul with Rep. Gabe Amo (D-R.I.). “The AUKUS security pact, which I prioritized as chairman, serves as a critical deterrent to China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific. The inclusion of this provision in the NDAA will build on that momentum, enhance collaboration amongst AUKUS defense companies, and help establish the deterrence needed to prevent the CCP from instigating a worldwide catastrophe,” said Rep. McCaul.

Sections addressing Russia’s abduction of Ukrainian children were included as well: “The Russian Federation’s abduction of at least 20,000 children is evil in its purest form. By abducting, indoctrinating, and militarizing these children, Russia is preparing a generation of children for war with NATO. I’m proud to stand on the right side of history by fighting for their repatriation, which is a national security imperative — and a moral imperative,” said Rep. McCaul.

Another measure deputizes state and local authorities to address drone threats at mass gatherings—a goal aligned with McCaul’s work on enhancing security for special events: “As chairman of the special events task force, I have been laser-focused on the growing threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems. According to the NFL, there has been a 4,000% increase in drone sightings at stadiums in the past five years. This provision takes a major step toward securing our upcoming games by ensuring state and local law enforcement officers have the authorities needed to prevent drone attacks before they occur,” said Rep. McCaul.

Michael McCaul has consistently won re-election since 2014 against various opponents including Theresa Boisseau (2024), Linda Nuno (2022), Mike Siegel (2020 & 2018), Tawana Walter-Cadien (2016 & 2014), often winning by significant margins.