Defense Policy Update: Senate Armed Service Committee Releases FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Draft
Lewis-Burke Associates LLC – July 28, 2025
The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) voted 26-1 to advance the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to the Senate floor on July 9, 2025, six days before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) approved its version of the bill. Both chambers will move to approve their renditions of the bill before negotiations to reconcile the differences between the two versions will begin. The House is currently adjourned, and chamber approval from the Senate is unlikely to occur before Senators depart for August recess. Given the rapid approach of the end of the fiscal year coupled with the increased polarization in Congress over a myriad of issues including delayed appropriations, Lewis-Burke anticipates that, much like the last six years, a final version of the NDAA will not be released until close to the end of the calendar year.