Here’s What’s In Major Defense Bill The Senate Just Passed During Shutdown
The Senate approved its annual defense policy bill Thursday, ending weeks of gridlock over the massive $879 billion package and marking a rare step in approving major legislation during a government shutdown.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $879 billion in funding for the US military and guides the national defense strategy, was passed by a vote of 77 to 20 on Thursday evening. In a flurry of activity, the Senate passed seven amendments to the legislation last night, rejecting nine others in the process.
With the bill’s passage, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees can now begin the process of reconciling differences between each chamber’s respective versions. The House version passed in September without Democratic support.
A timely amendment to the bill introduced by Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen sought to require the president or secretary of defense to obtain consent from a state’s governor before ordering members of that state’s National Guard to carry out federal missions in their own state or another U.S. jurisdiction.
“As Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt said today, and I quote, ‘As a believer in federalism, one governor versus another governor, I don’t think that’s the right way to approach this issue,'” Van Hollen said on the Senate floor Thursday. Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt countered that the amendment would “weaken federal authority over the Washington National Guard and hamper its ability to respond to a crisis.” The amendment failed 47-50. (RELATED: Chicago Mayor Declares ‘Ice-Free’ Zones as Trump Admin Cracks Down on Sanctuary City)
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) (C) speaks alongside Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) (R) and Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A bipartisan amendment, introduced by Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young, was passed to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Iraq war authorizations, a long-sought rollback of executive war powers persisting since the first Gulf War and the 2003 invasion.
“The Iraq War began 22 years ago. The Gulf War began 34 years ago. Today, Iraq is a partner, not an adversary, and it is time for the law to reflect that,” Young said on the Senate floor last night.
An amendment introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, to block President Trump’s purchase of a Qatari plane from spending money on foreign planes for presidential transport was also rejected.
“It is outrageous that President Trump wants to travel the world like a king while Americans are hit with tariffs and pay more for health care, groceries, rent and electricity,” Schumer said of the amendment. “Republicans like to talk about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse – spending even a penny of taxpayer money to renovate this luxury is a complete waste.” (RELATED: Pentagon Officially Accepts Qatari ‘Flying Palace’ Jet as Potential Air Force One Replacement)
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) arrives for a press conference following a weekly Democratic policy luncheon on Capitol Hill October 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government remains paralyzed after Congress failed to reach a funding deal last week. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The NDAA includes numerous other directives, including eliminating DEI mandates at the Pentagon, restricting gender reassignment operations at military installations, and banning admissions to military academies based on race and gender.
The bill outlines a number of foreign policy directives, including an extension of increased aid to Ukraine, expanded partnerships in the Middle East and new industrial involvement with Taiwan. A ban on purchasing Chinese materials such as solar panels, semiconductors, printers and vehicles will also be enforced through legislation, as well as a ban on using Chinese-made vehicles on Department of Defense properties.
Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, made his case for the NDAA broadly on the Senate floor Thursday, emphasizing his emphasis on bipartisanship alongside the committee’s ranking Democratic senator, Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
“It’s member-driven. It’s full of national security priorities from senators on both sides of the floor,” Wicker said. “It is designed to make significant changes, to make our country stronger, to make our defenses better and more capable of defending us, and therefore to prevent armed conflict. »
Andi Shae Napier contributed to this report.
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