National Defense Infrastructure Protection Act of 2026

The National Defense Infrastructure Protection Act of 2026 empowers the Secretary of Defense to designate specific energy and logistics facilities as "certified infrastructure" essential for military fuel supply and readiness. Once certified, these facilities receive legal protections that make it significantly harder for states, local governments, or private parties to stop or delay their construction or operation through lawsuits. The bill mandates that any legal challenge to certified infrastructure be moved to federal courts, requires a high standard of proof to halt operations, and ensures expedited court timelines to prevent delays. Additionally, the law allows operators to recover attorney fees if they win a legal battle against interference and establishes a rebuttable presumption that previously certified facilities continue to meet defense needs.