Why It Matters
Utah Defense Alliance Inc. is fighting to keep the state’s defense installations competitive amid national security expansion. The core challenge: Utah’s booming private sector—particularly tech—is luring away skilled federal workers that Hill Air Force Base, Dugway Proving Ground, and Tooele Army Depot desperately need.
Congress is moving in UDA’s direction. FY2026 defense bills include amendments addressing Utah pay disparities, Dugway facility modernization, and military housing concerns. By partnering with Roosevelt Group—representing major contractors like RTX Corp. and SRC Inc.—UDA amplifies its voice within a powerful coalition pushing Congress to invest in installations, fix pay gaps, and modernize facilities.
By the Numbers
Utah Defense Alliance Inc. paid Roosevelt Group $50,000 in the last quarter of 2025—consistent with its typical quarterly spending on defense authorization and appropriations cycles. The organization has over two decades of federal advocacy experience dating back to 2004.
UDA’s relationship with Roosevelt Group spans since 2016, representing 40 prior disclosures totaling over $2 million. The firm deploys four experienced defense lobbyists: Kathleen I. Ferguson, Christopher John Goode, John M. Simmons, and Teran Judd, who has represented UDA across 14 prior disclosures since 2022.
UDA’s strategy shifted from BRAC protection in the early 2000s to sustained annual advocacy on defense authorization and appropriations—reflecting changed institutional priorities.
The Agenda
Utah Defense Alliance Inc. is lobbying on three bills: the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, Defense Appropriations Bill, and Military Construction Bill.
UDA advocates for amendments supporting Dugway Proving Ground, addressing workforce and pay disparities at Hill Air Force Base, and modernizing funding for military depots like Tooele Army Depot.
Broader Context
Utah’s installations benefit from overlapping defense priorities: The FY2026 NDAA authorizes nearly $901 billion, while 56% of aerospace companies struggle hiring skilled workers despite 5% annual demand growth.
Key factors include munitions surge (100,000 artillery shells monthly planned), CBRN modernization supporting Dugway’s mission, and federal workforce crisis where employees earn just shy of 25 percent of what the private sector pays..
Rep. Blake Moore secured FY2026 NDAA wins for Utah installations while introducing the bipartisan Depot Investment Reform Act.
Between The Lines
The FY2026 NDAA (S.2296) includes Utah-specific provisions: S.Amdt.3295 allows Dugway to retain housing proceeds for improvements; S.Amdt.3344 affirms Dugway’s CBRN role; and S.Amdt.3206 mandates federal pay reviews focusing on Utah wage disparities.
Recent Armed Services Committee hearings on Defense Industrial Base Strengthening and Defense Mobilization underscored manufacturing capacity urgency—a core UDA priority.
Competitive Landscape
The Roosevelt Group represents multiple state defense alliances—Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, and Louisiana Armed Forces Alliance—creating a coalition effect where state alliances benefit from broader defense industrial base knowledge.
The Bottom Line
Utah Defense Alliance Inc. paid $50,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby on defense spending bills, continuing a decade-long Roosevelt Group partnership. The nonprofit focuses on securing federal support for Utah’s military installations, with efforts aligning closely with active congressional legislation and Utah’s delegation priorities, suggesting coordinated defense sector strategy.
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