US Congress Passes $901 Billion Defense Bill for Fiscal 2026 Including Support for Ukraine and Europe
The United States Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026 with a vote of 77-20. The bill totals $901 billion and includes a 4% pay raise for troops, funding for weapons purchases, and initiatives aimed at maintaining competitiveness against China and Russia.
The NDAA allocates $800 million under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, with $400 million designated for each of the next two years to support Ukraine. Additionally, the Baltic Security Initiative is authorized with $175 million to bolster the defenses of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.
Regarding the U.S. military presence in Europe, the Department of Defense is prohibited from reducing U.S. forces below 76,000, and the European commander is not allowed to relinquish the NATO supreme commander title. The legislation also includes a culture-war provision that bars transgender women from participating in athletic programs designated for women at U.S. military academies.
Notably, the bill includes no funding for renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The bill will now proceed to the White House, where it is reported that former President Trump will sign it into law.
