Disinterment of Remains of Fernando V. Cota From Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas

Floor Speech

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Mr. HIMES. Mr. Speaker, I thank the hard-working chairman and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act. Importantly, the bill reforms the outdated acquisition process at the Department of Defense. It provides a pay raise for our servicemembers, supports our allies in Europe, including Ukraine, and takes other steps to strengthen our security.

I am pleased that this bill includes the Intelligence Authorization Act. I thank, again, the chairman and ranking member. I thank Chairman Crawford and all members and staff of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence who contributed to this important legislation.

In both the unclassified text and the classified annex, the bill enhances congressional oversight of the intelligence community to ensure they conduct their work effectively, efficiently, and within the bounds of law.

Among other provisions, it increases oversight of the FBI's terrorist watch listing process, requires the NSA to notify Congress of significant changes in its collection posture, and improves our visibility in counter-narcotics-related operations.

It requires each IC element to designate a senior official to oversee work on biotechnology issues, an emerging priority.

It also extends the requirement that there be an IC coordinator to ensure accountability for Russian atrocities and adds Russia's forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to the list of matters under the coordinator's purview.

It requires each IC agency to develop metrics for the adoption of critical emerging technology.

Finally, it provides a narrowly tailored authority to the CIA to protect its domestic facilities from unmanned drones, a gap in the law that we have been seeking to close for more than 5 years.

Once again, I appreciate the strong bipartisan efforts on the IAA, as well as the NDAA, and I am pleased to support the final product.

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