Congress Passes $901 Billion Defense Bill Supporting Ukraine and Europe

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to advance a $901 billion bill setting policy for the Pentagon, sending the legislation to the White House, where President Donald Trump has indicated he will sign it into law.

The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, is a compromise between separate measures passed in the House of Representatives and Senate earlier this year. It authorizes a record $901 billion in annual military spending, includes a four percent pay raise for troops, and facilitates purchases of military equipment to enhance competitiveness with U.S. adversaries China and Russia.

The Senate backed the bill by a vote of 77 to 20, showing strong bipartisan support. The House passed the bill the previous week. Notably, this NDAA includes provisions to bolster security in Europe, diverging from Trump's earlier national security strategy that appeared favorable to Russia.

The legislation allocates $800 million for Ukraine, with $400 million designated for each of the next two years under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which compensates U.S. companies for supplying weapons to Ukraine's military.

It also authorizes the Baltic Security Initiative, providing $175 million to support the defense of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Further, it restricts the Department of Defense from reducing the number of U.S. forces in Europe below 76,000 and prevents the U.S.

European commander from relinquishing the title of NATO supreme commander. While a handful of senators suggested adding provisions for military helicopter safety following a tragic crash that resulted in 67 fatalities, this issue did not delay the bill's passage.

Additionally, the NDAA does not allocate funds to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War, a change sought by Trump without congressional approval. However, it does incorporate some culture war measures favored by right-wing politicians, including a ban on transgender women participating in women’s athletic programs at U.S. military academies.