The ERLC sent a letter to express Southern Baptists priorities in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This letter went to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee leadership, and House and Senate leadership articulating Southern Baptist priorities of life, religious liberty, marriage & family, and human dignity.
What is the NDAA?
Each year, Congress must pass the NDAA, which authorizes the Department of Defense to operate and to utilize its budget. This bill typically influences policies such as:
- the operations of military bases,
- the procurement of weapons,
- and training requirements for the members of the military,
- but it also touches on areas of importance to Southern Baptists, such as life, gender, and religious liberty.
The two versions of the NDAA resulting from the House and Senate typically vary in provisions and in funding amounts. As a result, Congress undergoes conference negotiations to agree on a compromise bill that can pass both chambers. Advocacy groups, like the ERLC, have the ability to engage with House and Senate Armed Services Committee members in the year-long process of crafting this bill. Now, with conference negotiations officially underway, the ERLC is continuing to advocate for certain provisions to be included in the final version of the NDAA.
What are Southern Baptists priorities for the NDAA?
The ERLC is focused on four key aspects of the NDAA:
- Prohibiting federal funding for abortion.
- Prohibiting federal funding for “gender transition” services, procedures, and medications.
- Opposing the expansion of selective service to include women.
- Preventing the use of government funding to expand access to the unregulated practice of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), such as IVF, and establishing baseline ethical standards of care.
In the letter, Dr. Gary Hollingsworth, interim president of the ERLC, stated:
This year’s annual defense bill holds historic legislative legacy, facing its 65th consecutive passage. As Congress now moves to finalize NDAA negotiations by the end of the year, Southern Baptists urge these priorities for consideration: maintaining robust pro-life and conscience protections, retaining the prohibition of government funding for “gender transitions,” ensuring the selective service is not expanded to include women, and resisting
expansion of taxpayer funding for assisted reproductive technologies.We are committed to praying for each of you as you navigate these complex and often weighty matters. We ask God to multiply your wisdom and discernment in the negotiations ahead.
Why is the NDAA important to Southern Baptists?
Through the NDAA, Congress authorizes approximately $886 billion in taxpayer funds. In addition, the NDAA helps set what Congress views as legitimate uses of federal funding. Without proper language included in the NDAA, taxpayer dollars could be used to fund harmful activities Southern Baptists fundamentally oppose.
