Defense Bill Expands Military Family IVF Coverage, Bans China Tech Investments, and Mandates Housing Mold Fixes

This year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 is a massive piece of legislation that goes way beyond tanks and fighter jets. Think of it as the annual federal budget monster that touches everything from military paychecks and housing quality to who you can invest with and how the intelligence community is organized. If you’re busy, here’s the breakdown of what’s actually changing for service members, taxpayers, and anyone trying to buy a house.

The Real Cost of Readiness: Pay, Perks, and Restrictions

For active-duty service members and their families, this bill is a mixed bag of significant wins and sharp restrictions. On the positive side, the bill expands TRICARE coverage to include fertility treatments, including In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), for active-duty personnel and dependents. This is a huge deal for families struggling with infertility, finally bringing a critical, often expensive, medical service under coverage. The bill also mandates that the Department of Defense (DoD) fix the confusing mess that is a service member’s pay statement, requiring clear explanations for every line item within 180 days. No more guessing why your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) looks the way it does; transparency is coming.

However, the bill draws a hard line on certain medical access: it explicitly prohibits the use of military funds or facilities for sex change surgeries. This means that while coverage for one set of specialized medical needs is expanding, access to gender-affirming care within the military system is being shut down. This restriction will force individuals seeking these procedures to find and pay for private, non-military healthcare options, creating a significant barrier for some service members.

The Fight China Act: Supply Chains and Your Portfolio

One of the biggest policy shifts is buried in Division A, where the bill implements the FIGHT China Act. This isn't just about military hardware; it’s about economics. The law blocks U.S. persons from knowingly investing in specific advanced technology sectors tied to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and mandates the divestment from Chinese firms linked to their military-industrial complex. For anyone with a 401(k) or investment portfolio, this means the government is actively restricting where your money can go if those investments touch sensitive Chinese tech. The goal is national security, but the practical effect is increased compliance risk and a shrinking pool of investment opportunities in certain high-growth tech areas.

Furthermore, the bill tightens procurement rules, prohibiting the DoD from buying certain materials, like photovoltaic modules (solar panels), from “Foreign Entities of Concern.” If you’re a small business supplying the military, you’ll need to prove your supply chain is clean of these foreign materials, adding a layer of administrative complexity to every contract.

ROAD to Housing: Fixing Military Homes and Boosting Supply

Division I, the ROAD to Housing Act, is a major addition that tackles the housing crisis head-on, both for military families and the broader public. For military families living in privatized housing, the bill mandates increased transparency, requiring landlords to disclose liability insurance and the total amount paid to settle tenant disputes. Crucially, it bans landlords from requiring tenants to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) that silence them about poor living conditions. This is a direct response to years of complaints about substandard housing, mold, and neglect.

Beyond the base gate, the ROAD Act aims to increase housing supply by providing grants to local governments that remove zoning barriers like parking minimums or height restrictions. If your city wants federal funding, they’ll have to streamline environmental reviews for new construction. It also expands financing options for factory-built homes and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), making it easier for lenders to finance these smaller, more affordable options. The idea is that more supply, especially affordable supply, helps everyone struggling with rent or mortgage costs.

Nuclear Oversight and Intelligence Reorganization

Finally, the bill mandates significant structural changes behind the scenes. The Department of Energy’s nuclear security wing (NNSA) is now required to meet firm, mandatory production goals to manufacture 80 plutonium pits annually by 2030, accelerating the timeline for maintaining the nuclear stockpile. To keep this massive effort on track, the bill imposes strict cost controls, requiring Congressional notification if a project's cost exceeds 125% of the baseline—a much-needed accountability measure for multi-billion dollar projects.

In the Intelligence Community, the bill rearranges the deck chairs, moving the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) to the FBI. This is an effort to streamline command and focus counterintelligence efforts more directly on domestic threats and foreign influence. For the average person, this means a more consolidated federal effort to protect against foreign spying and election interference, with mandatory security testing for all certified voting hardware and software now required.