Senate Passes Massive $901 Billion National Defense Authorization Act, Sending It to Trump’s Desk

The Senate on Wednesday passed the $901 billion 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the sweeping annual military spending bill that will be combined with legislation passed earlier this year to bring the total US military budget to over $1 trillion.

The bill passed in a vote of 77-20, with just two Republicans, Senators Rand Paul (KY) and Mike Lee (UT), and 18 Democrats voting against it. The massive bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

Notable amendments include a provision directing the Selective Service System (SSS) to register all potential draftees in the US automatically. According to Edward Hasbrouk, an expert on the Selective Service, it marks the biggest change to the system since 1980.

The NDAA also includes a new provision to ensure Israel is not impacted by global arms restrictions that have been imposed in response to its genocidal war in Gaza. The amendment requires a review of the arms restrictions and says the US will take steps to “mitigate” any “gaps” it may find.