President Donald Trump Thursday signed the $901 billion 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law that would allow nearly $26 billion in funding to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
That is the highest authorization limit yet for the agency in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, and $100 million more than the Senate would have authorized based on its earlier version. It is also $700 million more than what the White House sought in its 2026 budget request. It is also about $500 million more than what the House would initially authorize.
The bill also authorizes nearly $7 billion for Defense Environmental Cleanup, which makes up the majority of funding for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management,
Trump signed the bill after the Senate and House passed their combined versions of the policy bill. The House last week voted 312 to 112 to advance the bill to the Senate, and the Senate Wednesday, in a 77-20 vote, passed it on to Trump’s desk.
Though the bill had support from both parties, Democratic Senators Ed Markey (Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) voted against the legislation. Republican Senators Mike Lee (Utah) and Rand Paul (Ky.) also voted against the bill. Lee is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
The annual NDAA, which is not an appropriations bill, sets policy and spending limits for defense agencies, including the NNSA, which is the DOE’s semi-autonomous agency in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.