A sweeping $900.6 billion national defense bill backed by Susan Collins (R) has cleared Congress and is headed to the president’s desk, locking in major military funding priorities and delivering direct wins for Maine’s defense workforce and service members.
The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the U.S. Senate 77–20 and the House of Representatives 312–112, authorizing defense spending levels and setting policy for the U.S. military amid escalating global security threats.
While the NDAA establishes policy and authorized funding levels, the actual dollars for the Department of Defense will be provided through a separate appropriations process. That funding bill is already moving, having advanced out of the Senate Appropriations Committee in July by a 26–3 vote.
“With this legislation heading to the President’s desk, Congress has fulfilled one of its most important Constitutional responsibilities, providing for our national defense,” Collins said in a statement. She emphasized that the bill strengthens national security, supports U.S. troops, and bolsters Maine’s defense industrial base.
Several provisions authored or co-authored by Collins made it into the final legislation, including:
- Berry Amendment Compliant Footwear Report: Requires the Department of Defense to report on the domestic boot industrial base and outline a plan to achieve full compliance for combat footwear.
- Public Shipyard Apprentice Program: Strengthens the skilled trades pipeline at public shipyards, including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
- Counter Act Provisions: Expands the Defense Department’s authority to protect military facilities from illegal drone activity.
The NDAA also includes provisions Collins pushed that directly impact Maine and service members nationwide:
- A 3.8% pay raise for all service members, including thousands of Mainers in uniform.
- Reforms aimed at streamlining and modernizing defense procurement to better equip the military.
- A directed study on behavioral and mental health staffing shortages at military medical treatment facilities to improve access to care for service members and their families.
The bill authorizes substantial funding for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a cornerstone of Maine’s defense economy, including:
- $227.8 million for power reliability and water resilience upgrades.
- $220.8 million for the Multi-Mission Drydock No. 1 extension.
With bipartisan support in both chambers, the NDAA now awaits the president’s signature, cementing another year of record defense authorization and significant investments tied directly to Maine’s military and industrial base.
