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By Hollie Silverman
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The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 passed in the Senate on Wednesday, with a bipartisan vote of 77-20 for the $901 billion budget.
The vote followed months of congressional debate and several amendments, including pay raises and oversight changes.
The NDAA incorporates provisions that compel the Pentagon to furnish committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and Senate with raw videos of strikes carried out by the U.S. military.
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The measure, which provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for military personnel, now awaits President Donald Trump's signature.
The vote came a day after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a briefing with Senate leaders on the military boat strikes.
Why It Matters
The NDAA of 2026 arrives at a time of heightened tension between Congress and the executive branch over military authority and transparency.
While the White House has signaled alignment with President Trump's security priorities, lawmakers from both parties raised concerns over recent Pentagon operations—especially a military campaign involving deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters near Venezuela.
The NDAA includes provisions that pressure Secretary Hegseth to provide unedited video evidence of these operations to congressional oversight committees, and introduces new requirements for maintaining U.S. forces in Europe and Korea amid broader strategic shifts away from support for European allies and toward a focus on Latin America and the southern border.
What To Know
The NDAA, a product of months of negotiations, secures $901 billion for national defense programs—a sum $8 billion above President Trump’s initial proposal.
Among its most debated features is a demand for the Pentagon to submit unedited footage and authorizing documents for a series of strikes on vessels allegedly engaged in drug smuggling near Venezuela. Lawmakers, citing bipartisan concern, embedded language in the bill withholding a quarter of Secretary Hegseth’s travel budget until compliance is achieved.
Central to congressional scrutiny is a September 2 incident in which a U.S. military strike killed two survivors clinging to the wreckage of a drug-laden vessel.
Lawmakers on both sides have voiced concern over the legality and morality of the operation, with Democrats requesting the video be made public and Republicans split on the issue.
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The Pentagon has so far refused to release the footage to the general public, citing operational security. Instead, classified briefings have been held for select lawmakers, with the full chamber yet to be granted access.
The NDAA also restricts unilateral reductions of U.S. troops in Europe and South Korea, responding to Trump administration signals of possible drawdowns.
The DOD must now consult NATO allies and provide justification before reducing troop levels below 76,000 in Europe or 28,500 in South Korea. $400 million per year for two years is also authorized to manufacture weapons for Ukraine, even as the administration has paused some assistance in pursuit of peace talks with Russia.
The bill also enacts many Trump-initiated rollbacks, repealing Pentagon diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices and trainings, and cutting $1.6 billion from climate change initiatives in defense programs.
Supporters claim the DEI cuts will save $40 million, though opponents argue the cuts undermine longstanding Pentagon assessments of climate as a national security risk.
How Senators Voted
- Democrats/Independents voting in favor: Senators Angela Alsobrooks, Tammy Baldwin, Richard Blumenthal, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Catherine Cortez Masto, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Ruben Gallego, Kirsten Gillibrand, Maggie Hassan, Martin Heinrich, John Hickenlooper, Mazie Hirono, Tim Kaine, Mark Kelly, Angus King (I), Ben Ray Lujan, Gary Peters, Jack Reed, Jacky Rosen, Chuck Schumer, Jeanne Shaheen, Elissa Slotkin, Mark Warner, Raphael Warnock and Sheldon Whitehouse.
- Republicans voting against: Senators Mike Lee and Rand Paul.
- Senators not voting: Chris Coons, Joni Ernst, and Chuck Grassley.
What People Are Saying
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), chair of Senate Armed Services Committee, said on the Senate floor Wednesday, NPR reported: “We’re about to pass, and the president will enthusiastically sign, the most sweeping upgrades to DOD’s business practices in 60 years.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking to reporters after a closed briefing, AP reported: “Of course, we’re not going to release a top secret, full, unedited video of that to the general public.”
What Happens Next
With the Senate’s passage, the NDAA proceeds to President Trump’s desk for signature, which administration officials have indicated is expected soon.
While the bill only authorizes spending, additional appropriations legislation will be required to allocate the full $901 billion in funding.
Meanwhile, congressional committees are set to continue investigating the rationale and rules of engagement for the Venezuela boat strikes and are demanding ongoing access to Pentagon legal opinions and operational orders.
Update 12/17/25 2:29 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with more information.
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