The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday, sending a roughly $900 billion defense package to the Senate after a 312-112 vote. The bill includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for service members, major investments in shipbuilding, hypersonics, and space capabilities, and provisions aimed at bolstering cybersecurity and military family support. It also seeks to codify 15 executive orders from President Donald Trump and runs more than 3,000 pages. Lawmakers from both parties backed the measure, and key Republican members touted its benefits for troops and national security.
The House approved the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act on a 312-112 vote, moving the measure to the Senate for consideration. The package would authorize about $900 billion in defense spending and carries policy directives that affect the Department of Defense and related national security programs. Supporters emphasized the bill’s focus on readiness, technology, and quality-of-life improvements for service members and their families.
Among the headline items in the NDAA is a 3.8 percent pay raise for uniformed personnel, a detail Republicans highlighted as overdue recognition for those who serve. The bill also directs funding across personnel, operations, maintenance, procurement, and research and development lines. That mix aims to preserve current capabilities while accelerating new systems the Pentagon says it needs to compete with near-peer rivals.
The package attempts to lock in 15 executive actions from President Donald Trump into law, a move the bill’s backers described as restoring priorities they believe strengthen defense policy. The NDAA is a sprawling document that runs over 3,000 pages and covers a wide range of issues from logistics to international partnerships. Its scale reflects the committee process that folds numerous member priorities into one annual authorization.
Republican Congressman David Valadao of California voted for the bill and framed his support around troops and families. The NDAA finances discretionary military programs and sets policy for DOD activities while also identifying areas for modernization and alliance-building. Members argued this combination signals a serious commitment to deterrence and to the people who wear the uniform.
“Today, I was proud to vote to ensure our military has the resources needed to keep Americans safe while delivering meaningful quality-of-life improvements for our servicemembers and their families,” Valadao said in a statement. “The FY26 NDAA provides a well-deserved pay raise for our troops and improves housing, education, and access to childcare for military families. It also ensures the Department of Defense is prepared to confront growing global threats, promotes the development of new and innovative defense technologies, and deepens partnerships with our allies in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. I’m especially proud that key provisions of my SECURE IT Act were included to help bolster confidence in our elections by requiring voting systems to undergo simulated cyberattacks to identify vulnerabilities. For over 60 years, the NDAA has been a bipartisan commitment to our national defense, and I’m glad to see the House and Senate once again came together to get this critical legislation over the finish line.”
Congressman Morgan Luttrell, R-TX, also welcomed passage and underlined the bill’s mix of readiness and innovation priorities. He highlighted funding for traumatic brain injury research and expanded hypersonic development among the provisions he secured. Lawmakers from both parties argued those investments are necessary to maintain a technological edge over adversaries.
Key provisions in the FY26 NDAA include improvements to military housing, education benefits, and access to childcare, aimed at strengthening family support systems. The bill authorizes more than $355 million to renovate military hospitals and construct new medical facilities to broaden access to care. It also pushes for accelerated development of space capabilities and measures designed to counter Chinese and Russian nuclear and space activities.
- Improves housing, education, and access to childcare for military families.
- Authorizes over $355 million to renovate military hospitals and build new medical facilities to expand access to healthcare.
- Enhances U.S. defense initiatives in the Indo-Pacific to support allies and counter China’s growing reach.
- Strengthens U.S.-Israel military operations and cooperative missile defense programs.
- Enhances America’s nuclear deterrent and new nuclear power technologies.
- Accelerates the development and delivery of space capabilities to counter Chinese and Russian nuclear arsenals and space surveillance.
- Revitalize American shipbuilding
- Strengthening Election Cybersecurity to Uphold Respect for Elections through Independent Testing (SECURE IT) Act
Luttrell noted he secured more than 40 provisions related to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies for the Department of Defense. The NDAA also includes funding lines for clinical trials and research aimed at treating TBI, along with measures to support training and health initiatives for service members. Republicans framed these wins as practical steps that preserve strength while improving care for veterans and active duty personnel.
The bill drew bipartisan votes and won the support of the White House, clearing the House with enough margin to proceed to the Senate. Republicans emphasized that the NDAA continues a long tradition of annual defense authorization and that passing the bill keeps policy and spending on track. With the measure now in the Senate, congressional leaders will press for timely consideration so authorizations and appropriations can align before the fiscal year.
The next stop for the measure is the U.S. Senate, where amendments and final negotiations will determine the version sent to the president. Republicans hope to preserve key provisions that address modernization, force readiness, and the welfare of military families during those talks. Observers will be watching how the upper chamber balances fiscal pressures with the operational needs the NDAA tries to meet.
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