Senate Passes $895 Billion Defense Authorization Bill

The U.S. Capitol building on Dec. 18, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The U.S. Senate passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Dec. 18, bringing the $895.2 billion bill one step closer to becoming law.

The 85–14 Senate vote came one week after the House passed the military budget measure. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Along with providing the military with its general operating budget and continuing funding for weapons development and procurement projects, this year’s NDAA also includes notable pay increases for service members and support for other programs to improve their quality of life.

All service members would see a pay bump of 4.5 percent, while junior enlisted service members would receive a targeted pay raise of 14.5 percent. Other quality-of-life improvements in the bill include increased cost-of-living and basic needs allowances, military spouse employment support, and funding for child care programs.

Although lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have signaled support for increased troop pay and benefits, other provisions in the bill have been divisive.

This latest version of the NDAA did away with several of the culture-war riders the Republican-led House included in an earlier draft of the bill, but it does include a provision barring the military’s Tricare medical plan from covering gender transitioning support for military dependents younger than 18. Several House Democrats cited opposition to this provision as they voted against the NDAA last week.

The House voted 281–140 in favor of the NDAA, with 16 Republicans and 124 Democrats opposing the bill.

In a Senate floor speech ahead of the Dec. 18 vote, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) echoed frustrations about the Tricare provision but ultimately urged his colleagues to support the bill, saying, “I am confident it will provide the Department of Defense and our military men and women with the resources they need to meet and defeat the national security threats we face.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) likewise voiced his support for the NDAA in a Senate floor speech.

“The NDAA is not perfect, but it still makes several important advances Democrats fought for to secure America’s national defense and take a strong stand against the Chinese Communist Party,” Schumer said.

The NDAA describes the various programs and policies the U.S. military is authorized to pursue in the coming year, but a separate appropriation bill is needed to fully fund these programs.

In a Dec. 16 speech, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) faulted the outgoing Democratic Senate majority for not passing the NDAA sooner and not having an accompanying appropriations bill ready. He also said the Senate should’ve pursued a higher spending topline in this year’s NDAA.

“Artificial budget restraints mean that major bill provisions like a pay raise for enlisted servicemembers will come at the expense of investments in the critical weapons systems and munitions that deter conflict and keep them safe,” McConnell said.

Lawmakers are also working on a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the federal government through March 2025. At a Dec. 17 press conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said the language for the CR is almost ready for a floor vote.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.