Congress Eyes Passage of National Defense Authorization Act
Congress is moving a massive defense policy package toward the finish line, with the House advancing a compromise version of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize $900.6 billion for national defense programs. The Senate has already taken a key procedural step and is expected to vote next, setting up the bill to reach President Donald Trump, who has signaled support.
For trucking and the broader freight economy, the NDAA matters because it shapes military policy and spending levels that ripple through domestic manufacturing, fuel demand, and federal contracting. It also highlights how Congress is using the annual defense bill to assert oversight over the Pentagon and the administration.
The House vote Wednesday was 312-112, sending the conferenced, final agreement to the Senate. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pushed the package forward after winning over holdouts, according to the provided accounts.
In the Senate, lawmakers voted 75-22 Thursday to proceed to the legislation, a procedural move that brings it closer to a final vote. The bill is described as a must-pass measure that typically draws bipartisan backing, and the White House has indicated “strong support,” saying it aligns with Trump’s national security agenda.
While the NDAA authorizes spending and sets policy direction, it does not itself provide the money. Those dollars must still be funded through separate appropriations bills.
Several provisions underscore the oversight fight between Congress and the administration over military management:
- The agreement would withhold a quarter of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited videos of airstrikes against alleged drug smuggling boats.
- The bill would require the Pentagon to brief lawmakers on operations dating back to 2004 involving any unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) intercepts carried out by integrated military commands focused on defending North America.
- Lawmakers said the bill includes steps aimed at limiting certain military actions without congressional authorization and requiring documentation related to strikes connected to Venezuela-related incidents, according to statements included in the source material.
The NDAA has passed annually for decades and often becomes a catch-all vehicle for competing policy priorities. Even so, the core function remains the same: setting defense policy and authorizing the Pentagon’s programs for the next fiscal year.
With the House having acted and the Senate already moving the measure forward, Congress is now focused on clearing final passage and sending the legislation to the president.