WASHINGTON — Amid the deadlock of the government shutdown, the U.S. Senate passed the annual national defense policy bill with bipartisan support last week, including authorization of funding for projects in Alabama.
Alabama Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, with 75 other senators, approved the $925 billion National Defense Authorization Act Thursday night after the bill had been stalled in the upper chamber for months.
“The NDAA ensures our military and warfighters remain the most lethal, well-equipped and battle-ready in the world,” Britt said in a statement.
“Importantly, the NDAA goes beyond authorizing critical programs, setting the tone for our military priorities, national security measures and beyond.”
The bill, which authorizes Pentagon spending, includes $44 million for a physics lab and $55 million to finish the Propulsion Systems Building at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, according to Britt’s office.
For Anniston Army Depot, $32 million is authorized to construct a Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Center, and the NDAA authorizes $28 million for Army Reserve construction and land acquisition projects at Maxwell Air Force Base.
When the NDAA passed out of the Senate Armed Services Committee in July, Tuberville touted the 3.8% pay raise for troops included in the bill. He also highlighted how the annual defense measure encourages military commissaries to carry at-home mold tests and supports the development of quantum computing technologies within the Department of Defense.
“As chairman of the personnel subcommittee, I was proud to fight for some conservative wins for our troops,” Tuberville posted on X.
Britt secured an amendment to the bill that would require the Air Force to issue a report outlining potential mold and toxins problems in Air Force housing units and offering steps to remedy the problems, according to a press release.
The Senate also passed an amendment from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-VA, that repeals the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force in Iraq. The House passed a similar measure as part of its NDAA last month.
Overall, the NDAA for fiscal year 2026 focuses on updating the defense acquisition process to speed up the time it takes to get service members new military technology.
The Senate and House’s versions of the bill will now have to be reconciled into one bill that Congress hopes to pass by the end of the year. The main difference between the Senate and House NDAA is the topline number, with the House bill authorizing less money for the Pentagon, totalling about $893 billion.
The Senate’s defense policy legislation also received more bipartisan support than the House version did after Republicans added “right-wing” amendments in the lower chamber, such as restrictions on trans service members. Alabama’s House delegation split on party lines during the NDAA vote in September.