Proposals to end an unjust pay offset faced by tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans and to improve access to care at military treatment facilities are among the more than 1,500 amendments lawmakers will consider as part of must-pass defense legislation. 

House lawmakers have submitted more than 900 amendments to their version of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), while the Senate will need to work through over 600. Not all of these will make it into the final chamber-passed bills – or even receive floor attention – but the sheer volume underscores the magnitude of the task ahead.

The Senate is expected to take up its version of the bill later this week after an 84-14 vote Sept. 2 invoking cloture, which will allow for debate on the legislation. The House likely will begin its NDAA work next week, setting up a busy stretch for both chambers as the bills make their way through the legislative process and move one step closer to being signed into law.

Key Amendments of Interest

MOAA is closely monitoring amendments that directly affect our core mission. Several stand out as particularly significant. Two examples:

• Supporting Combat-Injured Veterans: Both chambers will consider an NDAA amendment including the text of the Major Richard Star Act. This enduring priority for MOAA would provide concurrent receipt of retirement pay and VA disability compensation to combat-injured servicemembers who were forced to medically retire before reaching 20 years of service. Its introduction in both chambers underscores the continued momentum and broad support behind this vital reform – the standalone bipartisan legislation had 300 cosponsors in the House and 76 in the Senate as of Sept. 2.
  
  

[FACT VS. FICTION: Major Richard Star Act]

• Improving TRICARE Access: A House amendment offered by Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) would direct DoD to establish a digital system for TRICARE beneficiaries receiving care at military treatment facilities. This system would allow patients to electronically file and track complaints related to access to care, with each complaint routed to a patient advocate for action. This has been one of MOAA’s top priorities for DoD health care since the beginning of the 119th Congress, and we are pleased to see the House take up this important issue.

These are just two examples of amendments MOAA is watching closely. We also are evaluating a wide range of proposals related to TRICARE reform, issues affecting currently serving servicemembers, support for military families, and provisions impacting veterans.

How You Can Get Involved

As the House and Senate prepare to take up their respective versions of the FY 2026 NDAA, your voice is critical in shaping the final outcome. Lawmakers must hear directly from you about the importance of these amendments and how their inclusion in the NDAA will impact the uniformed services and veteran communities.

Here’s how you can take action:

• Engage Through MOAA’s Legislative Action Center: Send messages to your elected officials urging their support for amendments like the Major Richard Star Act and improvements to TRICARE access.
  
  
• Build Awareness: Share MOAA updates with fellow servicemembers, retirees, and family members to broaden the impact of our collective voice.
  
  
• Stay Informed: Follow MOAA’s coverage on our website and in our newsletter as the NDAA moves through both chambers and into conference.

Together, through informed and active advocacy, MOAA can help ensure the FY 2026 NDAA protects the service-earned pay and benefits of our nation’s past, present, and future uniformed servicemembers, their family members, and their survivors.