The U.S. Senate has approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (S. 2296) with a vote of 77-20. The legislation will now proceed to conference for further consideration, as both chambers have passed their versions.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) commented on the bill’s passage, highlighting its impact on service members and his home state. “The Senate’s passage of the annual defense authorization bill is a giant step forward in ensuring a pay raise for our troops and the authorization of several important projects for South Carolina.”
The Senate version of the NDAA includes a 3.8 percent pay increase for military personnel. It also authorizes funding for multiple military construction projects in South Carolina, such as $51 million allocated for a new Child Development Center at Fort Jackson in Columbia, $65.4 million for expanding the Nuclear Power Training Facility Simulation project at Joint Base Charleston, and $33 million for building a Medical Facility Addition for the Air Force Reserve at Joint Base Charleston.
Additionally, the bill provides significant funding for programs at the Savannah River Site aimed at advancing plutonium pit production and environmental cleanup efforts. The NDAA also contains provisions intended to improve veteran care by increasing access to services from Department of War facilities and providers.
