The US Senate on Wednesday passed a sweeping $901 billion defense policy bill, sending it to the White House, where President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law. The legislation sets military policy and funding priorities for fiscal year 2026.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was approved by a strong bipartisan vote of 77-20 in the Senate, following its passage in the House last week. The final version represents a compromise between earlier bills passed separately by both chambers of Congress.
The bill authorizes a record $901 billion in defense spending, including a 4% pay raise for US service members, funding for new military equipment, and programs aimed at maintaining the United States’ strategic edge against rivals such as China and Russia.
Despite President Trump’s recent national security strategy signaling a more Russia-friendly tone and calling for a reassessment of relations with Europe, the NDAA includes provisions reinforcing US security commitments in the region. It allocates $800 million to Ukraine over two years under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, funding weapons supplied by US companies to Ukrainian forces.
The legislation also supports NATO allies through the Baltic Security Initiative, providing $175 million for defense assistance to Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. It further restricts the Pentagon from reducing US troop levels in Europe below 76,000 and prevents the US European commander from giving up the NATO supreme commander role.
Lawmakers highlighted that the NDAA has been passed annually for more than 60 years, underscoring its importance to US defense planning. Although some senators sought to add new helicopter safety rules following a recent deadly collision involving a US Army Black Hawk and a civilian aircraft, the proposals did not delay passage of the bill.
The final legislation does not include Trump’s proposal to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War, a change that would have required separate congressional approval. However, it does contain several culture-related provisions, including a ban on transgender women competing in women’s athletic programs at US military academies.
