Deluzio Led the Fight in Congress to Keep Navy Reserve Centers Open. He Won.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After learning that the U.S. Senate snuck a provision into the annual defense bill to close America’s Navy Reserve Centers (NRCs), Western Pennsylvania Congressman and Navy veteran Chris Deluzio (PA-17) successfully led the fight to remove the provision and keep Navy Reserve Centers open. This included the NRC in Moon Township, PA at the 911th Airlift Wing—in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District—and in Harrisburg and Avoca, PA. With these centers set to remain open, our nation's Navy Reserve will stay trained, supported, and ready to do our country’s bidding—anytime, anywhere.
"It's important that regions like ours have Navy Reserve Centers so that Sailors can keep their ties to the fleet if we need to mobilize them for active-duty service,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio. “I am proud that I won the fight to protect the Navy Reserve Centers in Western Pennsylvania and across the country—these are important facilities to support our Navy reservists who stand at the ready to mobilize for service.”
NRCs perform administrative, training, and support to Navy Reserve Sailors, ensuring readiness for the country's Navy Reserve. Congressman Deluzio helped craft the House version of the National Defense Authorization Act—or NDAA—as a member of the House Armed Service Committee. The version that he voted for did not include the elimination of Navy Reserve Centers. However, the Senate-passed version of the NDAA added a provision to close the more than 100 Navy Reserve Centers across the country, including one in the district that Congressman Deluzio represents.
Congressman Deluzio and his office worked for months to remove the provision from the final compromise text of the defense bill. Congressman Deluzio led a letter to the Armed Service Committee leadership signed by eighteen of his congressional colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats. The full text of the letter is available here and his efforts were covered by KDKA TV news in Pittsburgh. Ultimately, his efforts were successful. When the final defense bill text was released last weekend, the provision closing NRCs was removed.
“Sound defense policy must be grounded in reality and evidence,” said Colonel Chuck Sargent, USAFR (Ret.), Chairman, Military Affairs Council of Western Pennsylvania (MACWPA). “Congressman Deluzio’s willingness to engage, listen, and act—supported by strong research and collaboration—helped preserve military readiness while maintaining vital connections between our communities and the armed forces.”
Byron King, Capt, USN/ret, President of Pittsburgh Council of the U.S. Navy League provided the following statement celebrating Congressman Deluzio’s successful effort to keep Navy Reserve Centers open:
“It is gratifying to learn that the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) no longer legislates the abrupt, nationwide closure of 107 Navy Reserve Centers. Certainly, we are pleased that Pittsburgh's own Navy Reserve facility will remain operational, located adjacent to the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.
“A pithy old nautical saying advises that "time and tide wait for no one." And with this in mind, and on behalf of the Pittsburgh Council of the U.S. Navy League, our members and friends of the Navy want to thank Rep. Chris Deluzio and his staff for their fast, responsive and decisive efforts. Promptly, efficiently and with great focus they coordinated a broad, national-scale and bipartisan coalition of U.S. House Members to eliminate this particular ‘shutdown’ provision from the 2026 NDAA, which is otherwise critical legislation for the defense of the country.
“The U.S. Navy Reserve was established in 1775, a year before the founding of the country, and for 250 years Reserve personnel have played key roles in every American military effort, and not a few peacetime missions that involved disaster relief and other humanitarian efforts. The current Reserve system is administered through Navy facilities located in every state. Shutting down these centers would be immediately detrimental to training and administering Reservists, with high likelihood of decreased readiness and negative impact on mission capabilities across the broad spectrum of Navy missions.
“The Pittsburgh Council of the Navy League extends its sincere thanks to Rep. Deluzio and his staff, and to numerous other friends of the Navy who helped generate widespread public interest and support in this matter.”
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