WASHINGTON, D.C. — The bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate in a 77-20 vote and now heads to the White House to be signed into law. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), Senate Select Intelligence Committee (SSCI), Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), and cofounder of the Senate Arctic Caucus, has been working with his colleagues this entire year to secure strong investments in Maine’s economy and America’s national defense. This final legislation will support servicemembers and their families and boost the Maine economy through support for the hundreds of businesses that serve the military’s technological and manufacturing needs. Earlier this year, Senator King led the Senate Armed Services Committee in supporting bipartisan measures for the finalized legislation for the Senate version of the bill.

The legislation includes several provisions that Senator King backed, including a 3.8% pay raise for servicemembers, continued monitoring of brain health among servicemembers, aggressive policies to strengthen America’s cybersecurity, and provisions to address the security threats posed by artificial intelligence.

“For over six decades, Congress has taken a bipartisan approach to ensure that America’s military and defense forces have the training and equipment to carry out their missions and protect our interests at home and abroad. This year, the Senate is continuing that tradition in passing a defense bill for the Department of Defense (DoD) that will make our nation safer and stronger,” said Senator King. “As our country faces some of its greatest challenges, the bill makes important investments in Maine people and businesses that are critical to the safety and security of our country.

“There are many important provisions in this legislation – including support for troops and their families, investment in Maine research, and needed oversight of the Department of Defense,” continued Senator King. “All told, this year’s defense bill will make our country safer, strengthen our economy, and support the men and women who fight for our freedoms.”

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 includes King-backed provisions to:

• INVESTS IN MAINE SHIPBUILDING AND INSTALLATIONS.

• The FY26 NDAA authorizes $450 million towards the future procurement of a destroyer that Bath Iron Works can compete to build.
• It also authorizes additional $450 million in funding for investments in private shipyard infrastructure like Bath Iron Works.
• This legislation also authorizes the funding for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) modernization efforts – including power reliability and water resilience upgrades and the final phases of the massive drydock construction.
• The bill includes an effort cosponsored by Senator King that empowers shipyards across the country, like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, to make their own hiring decisions based on the workforce needs of their property. This is in response to previous reductions in force in early 2025 made on a political basis.
• PROTECTS EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AT UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM AND OTHER UNIVERSITIES.

• Includes $9 million for the University of Maine System to continue vital research and workforce development training. The research will also include tests intended to scale automated manufacturing.
• The FY26 NDAA also includes a new provision that helps protect university research funding and prohibits the Department of Defense from making unilateral changes to indirect cost rates without collaborating with universities and certifying a plan to the Congress.
• SCRAPS OUTDATED WAR POWERS AUTHORIZATION.
• The legislation ends the outdated authorization for the use of military force that was used as a basis for the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, and several conflicts in the years since the original designation.
• INCLUDES FUNDING FOR MAINE’S BUSINESSES SUPPORTING THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE.
• The bill authorizes funding for Maine’s large and small businesses that provide parts and components to F15 engines, F35 engines, helicopters, submarines, army vehicles, hypersonics and missiles.
• The FY26 legislation also provides stable contracts and demand signals by granting multiyear procurement authority for missiles and hypersonics which have ‘Made in Maine’ components.
• PROVIDES THE COAST GUARD WITH MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
• The NDAA includes the Coast Guard Authorization Act in which Senator King led several provisions including mental health. One provision is a pilot program embedding behavioral health technicians in Coast Guard clinics and authorization of additional counselors to serve Coast Guard personnel in remote and maritime communities such as Maine’s coastal boat stations.
• Also included in the bill is language to strengthen the Coast Guard’s leadership role in maritime cybersecurity by allowing unannounced cyber exercises at ports.
• INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE SECURITY OF THE ARCTIC REGION.
• The legislation officially establishes the position of the US Ambassador to the Arctic to represent and protect American interests in this vitally important and increasingly volatile region.
• It also includes language encouraging the Department of Defense to invest in infrastructure that will bolster Arctic shipping lanes.
• PROHIBITS THE PURCHASE OF SPECIAL METALS FROM FOREIGN ADVERSARIES.
• The FY26 NDAA includes language to prohibit the acquisition of special metals from non-allied foreign nations including China. Several of these special metals are manufactured right here in Maine.
• PREVENTS AND PROTECTS BRAIN HEALTH.
• Included in this legislation is a report specifically requested by Senator King to protect servicemembers from blast exposure and address TBI through weapons sensor development led by a Maine business.
• Also included is a provision encouraging the DOD to maintain robust oversight and ensure timely implementation of suicide prevention recommendations, particularly those of the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee.

• HELPS ADDRESS HOUSING ALLOWANCE SHORTFALLS FOR SERVICEMEMBERS.

• The FY26 NDAA will require the DOD to publish how housing allowances are calculated, what housing types are covered, and to pilot a new calculation method based on rental costs by bedroom size. This is on the heels of last year’s Defense bill which increased Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates. Maine servicemembers, including members of the Coast Guard, will benefit.

• IMPROVES THE “WARM HANDOFF” SHIFT FROM ACTIVE DUTY TO CIVILIAN.

• Included in this bill is a signature priority of Senator King’s that improves sharing of information between the Defense Department and State Veterans Agencies. Maine Bureau of Veterans Services advocated for this reform that will impact all servicemembers and help address the proven high-risk period when servicemembers leave the military.

• PUSHES BACK ON RUSSIAN AGGRESSION IN UKRAINE AND EUROPE.
• The FY26 NDAA reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to assist Ukraine in maintaining a credible defense and deterrence capability and to bolster defense and security cooperation with Ukraine to build a Ukrainian military that can defend Ukraine and deter future aggression.
• It also includes oversight measures on the reduction of U.S. forces based in Europe an authorizes $175 million towards the Baltic Security Initiative.

• ENHANCES DETERRENCE THROUGH CYBERSECURITY.
• The bill includes the King-led provision to require the DOD conduct a study and report on reducing incentives for cyber attacks on defense critical infrastructure of the United States. As Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, Senator King has long advocated for a strong and serious range of American responses to counter aggressive moves by adversarial nations and rogue actors.

• MODERNIZES OUR NUCLEAR DETERRENT.
• As Co-Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, Senator King is a Congressional leader working to ensure the bipartisan effort to provide oversight of strategic programs from the nuclear triad to missile defense. Senator King advocated to include important provisions addressing nuclear non-proliferation were included.
• The bill strengthens the nuclear triad and nuclear command and control including cyber protections and addressing concerns with artificial intelligence.
• The bill also includes important oversight of the NNSA and nuclear modernization programs, and missile defense programs to help address cost and defense industrial base concerns.

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