In a decisive bipartisan move, the US Senate has ratified a comprehensive $901 billion defense authorization package for Fiscal Year 2026, setting the stage for President Donald Trump’s anticipated endorsement. The legislative measure, formally designated as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), cleared the upper chamber with an overwhelming 77-20 vote margin on Wednesday.
Senator Roger Wicker, presiding over the Senate Armed Services Committee, emphasized the historical significance of this congressional achievement. “This marks the 65th consecutive year that Congress has transcended partisan divides to deliver a robust national defense enhancement package to the president’s desk,” Wicker declared prior to the vote.
The voluminous 3,000-page legislation incorporates multifaceted provisions including a 4% salary augmentation for military personnel, structural reforms to accelerate Pentagon weapons procurement, and substantial allocations for advancing the Golden Dome missile defense initiative. The bill mandates $400 million in annual military assistance for Ukraine over a two-year timeframe while imposing restrictions on troop reductions in Europe and South Korea without prior consultation with allied nations.
Notable budgetary authorizations encompass $26 billion for naval vessel construction, $38 billion for aerial fleet modernization, and $25 billion dedicated to munitions manufacturing expansion. The legislation further implements significant policy shifts by eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices within the Defense Department, reducing climate-related expenditures by $1.6 billion, and permanently rescinding economic sanctions against Syria.
A particularly contentious stipulation withholds 25% of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel allocation until Congress receives unedited footage of US airstrikes targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels near Venezuela. This follows Hegseth’s recent confirmation that only designated congressional committees would review complete footage of the controversial September 2nd Caribbean operation, which resulted in casualties during a secondary strike.
Despite broad bipartisan support, the legislation faced criticism from progressive lawmakers regarding the removal of expanded in-vitro fertilization coverage for active duty personnel, while conservative factions expressed dissatisfaction over perceived limitations in scaling back international military commitments. The White House has indicated President Trump will formally enact the legislation within coming days.