On Wednesday, Dec. 10, I voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed, the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This annual legislation sets defense policy, authorizes funding for military operations and projects, and ensures that our troops and military families have the support that they need and deserve.

This year’s NDAA delivers particularly exciting news for Sioux City and the surrounding region. It includes my work to authorize construction of a new runway, aircraft parking apron, and a warmup/holding pad for the KC-135 Stratotanker at the Sioux Gateway Airport, which is home to our incredible 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City. This bill ensures that these projects are eligible for funding that will protect nearly 1,000 jobs, promote continued economic growth in the region, and strengthen our national security.

Since being elected to Congress, I have worked to secure the future of the 185th, ensuring that the men and women who keep this unit running can continue to support our communities, respond to disasters, and defend our state and nation. I’ve met with leadership in both the U.S. Air National Guard and the Iowa National Guard to discuss how we can quickly fund a new runway and other military operations at the 185th. By authorizing these critical projects, we are honoring the hard work of the Iowa National Guard, protecting almost 1,000 jobs, and growing the local economy.

Last month, to support inclusion of provisions beneficial to the 185th in the NDAA, I led the full Iowa congressional delegation in sending a letter to the leadership of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and the U.S. House Armed Services Committee urging that the military construction projects at the Sioux Gateway Airport included in the Senate-passed version of the NDAA be retained in the final conference agreement for the Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA. This request was ultimately honored and cemented with the House’s passage of the NDAA, and I’m grateful to my colleagues in both chambers for hearing our joint voice.

The NDAA also secures important wins for our troops and national security. It delivers a pay raise for U.S. servicemembers and supports military families through more affordable housing and childcare. It further eliminates red tape to streamline defense acquisition, strengthens our nuclear deterrence capabilities, supports President Trump’s Golden Dome Missile Defense System, and counters our adversaries by promoting U.S. shipbuilding and implementing cutting-edge defense technologies. Additionally, this legislation includes provisions to rebuild our military and domestic defense manufacturing – defending Iowa jobs and investing in our nation’s security and stability.

As a strong supporter of our troops and military families, I will always work to ensure that our military remains the strongest and most feared fighting force in the world. By securing authorization for a new runway and other urgent projects at the 185th, we will deter our enemies, defend our national security, and advance peace through strength. I look forward to seeing President Trump sign the NDAA into law and keeping our military the strongest on the globe.

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Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa’s Fourth District in the U.S. House.