On Monday, the US Senate voted 83 to 12 to advance the $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), paving the way for a final vote as soon as Tuesday. If approved, the bill will be sent to President Joe Biden for signature.
The 2025 NDAA sets a record for annual military spending and includes provisions aimed at strengthening the US military’s competitiveness against rivals like China and Russia. The comprehensive 1,800-page bill addresses various priorities, including:
- A 14.5% pay raise for the lowest-ranking troops and a 4.5% increase for other personnel.
- Funding for the construction of military housing, schools, and childcare centers to enhance quality of life for service members.
A contentious provision in the bill bans the military health program, TRICARE, from covering gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members if there is a risk of sterilization. This reflects the growing political focus on transgender issues in recent US policy debates.
Despite bipartisan compromises, the bill omits some Republican-backed measures, such as banning TRICARE coverage for gender-affirming care for transgender adults and reversing the Pentagon’s policy of funding travel for abortion services in restricted states.
Although the NDAA authorizes defense programs, actual funding must be approved through a separate spending bill for the fiscal year ending in September 2025. This funding legislation is expected to pass by March.
The NDAA is considered one of Congress’s key annual priorities and has been passed for more than six consecutive decades.
