Senate sends annual defense bill to Trump’s desk before Christmas

Published December 17, 2025 12:37pm ET



Congress met a year-end deadline to pass the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday, marking the 65th consecutive year that lawmakers have approved the bill, a rare show of bipartisanship.

The Senate passed the NDAA, which sets the policy priorities of the Pentagon, in a 77-20 vote, handing troops a 3.8% pay raise and authorizing more than $900 billion in defense spending.

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