WASHINGTON — Today, Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. 

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Rep. Ronny Jackson’s remarks as prepared:

“I rise in support of HR 3838, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, also known as the SPEED Act.

I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership in bringing this bipartisan legislation to the floor for the 65th consecutive year. 

The Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee portions of the bill, in conjunction with approximately 2.2 billion dollars in reconciliation funding, continues to focus on providing our Special Operations Forces, the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, and the security cooperation enterprise with the tools required to ensure their capabilities can support the Department’s efforts in strategic competition and in countering malign PRC actions.

This bill supports critical platforms like the V-22 and MV-75, which are assembled in Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District. The legislation also provides the U.S. Special Operations Command the ability to accelerate research, development, testing, and procurement at speed and scale to affect outcomes against adversaries through the Urgent Innovation Technologies and Capabilities Pilot Program.

This authority for SOCOM, combined with the Defense Intelligence Enterprise and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s efforts, will continue to be our strategic hedge against an increasingly contested and denied battlespace by peer adversary capabilities and malign influence. We will enable leaders to make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world, enhancing the U.S. military’s lethality.

Finally, this bill, coupled with reconciliation, is just the beginning of the increased resourcing needed to ensure our Special Operations Forces, the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, and the security cooperation enterprise can support the Department’s efforts in strategic competition and countering malign influences. 

We owe it to the men and women who volunteer to serve in these roles – our Special Operators, uniform and civilian intelligence professionals, and security cooperation personnel – to equip them with the capabilities and tools needed to keep them in the fight and to win.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank our tremendous professional staff from the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee and my personal office; without this team, the bill would not be possible.”

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