President Trump Signs Johnson Provisions into Law

Washington, D.C. – Today, two provisions led by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) were signed into law by President Trump. The provisions would strengthen America’s deterrence against China and prohibit men from competing in women’s sports at military academies. 

“My provisions will keep our military focused on what matters – military readiness and combatting our greatest threat, China,” said Johnson. “America’s military is the strongest in the world and I’m grateful this year’s annual defense bill prioritizes our fighting force.”

Strengthening Deterrence against China:

Johnson’s amendment directs the Department of War to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to strengthen defense industrial cooperation with U.S. allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific region. It aims to move beyond limited prior directives by identifying concrete actions and priority systems to enable deeper joint development, production, and sustainment.

It is important to both reinforce ongoing efforts with Taiwan while expanding the scope of cooperation to encompass the broader region. China’s sphere of influence does not stop with Taiwan, and the U.S. must pursue a more comprehensive, region-wide strategy in response.

Johnson introduced this provision as an amendment to the NDAA, which was adopted and included.

Prohibiting Men from Competing in Women’s Sports at Military Academies:

Title IX was established to ensure equal opportunities for women in sports, and allowing biological males to compete in these categories directly undermines the intent of the law. While the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has failed to implement policies that adequately protect female college athletes, Congress has direct oversight of our nation’s military academies. This issue is not hypothetical—just last year, women’s volleyball teams were forced to either forfeit matches or compete under unfair conditions against teams that included biological males on their rosters.

Johnson’s Protection of Women in Sports at Military Academies Act prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports at United States military service academies. 

Johnson’s legislation was introduced in June. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville introduced identical legislation in the Senate.