Drew Dixon
U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis is celebrating the U.S. Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026 this month.
The measure allocates approximately $851 billion for military spending worldwide, including a 3.8% increase for all military personnel. Within that allocation is funding for the restoration of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels air show team’s hangar at Naval Air Station Pensacola, which Patronis requested in the bill that also included funding for other Florida military installations.
Patronis, a Pensacola Republican holding Florida’s First Congressional District, said he had no problem voting for the act.
“It is an honor to represent the men and women in America’s armed forces, and to have voted ‘yes’ to pass the Defense Appropriations Act and advance the America First agenda, which supports our troops and their families in Northwest Florida. We funded a well-deserved pay boost to our heroes stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, NAS Pensacola, and NAS Whiting Field, and ended DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) programs to ensure our service members can focus on defending the country, instead of woke ideology,” Patronis said in a news release.
He added that the Blue Angels’ funding for the hangar is essential to the Panhandle.
“I also requested $12 million for a hangar at NAS Pensacola, which would help preserve Blue Angels fighter jets being housed there. While we have made some great strides in restoring the strength of our military under the leadership of President Donald Trump and (U.S. House) Speaker Mike Johnson, there is much more to be done, and I look forward to working with congressional leadership to continue funding projects that will provide much needed improvements to our infrastructure in Northwest Florida,” said Patronis.
Other key elements of the legislation, according to Patronis, included $40.9 billion for U.S. Department of Defense medical and health care programs and another $1.15 billion for countering drug programs.
The measure still needs to get approval in the U.S. Senate before it goes to the White House for Trump’s signature.
