Mr. President, had Kaine amendment No. 3337 to Calendar No. 115, S. 2296, FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, been a recorded rollcall vote, I would have voted no.
S. 2296: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Introduced Jul 15, 20250 cosponsors
Sponsor
Roger Wicker
Republican · MS
Bill Progress
IntroducedJul 15
Committee
Pass SenateOct 9
Pass House
Signed
Law
Latest Action · Nov 12, 2025
Passed the Senate, received in House
The Senate defense bill is more than Pentagon spending — it rewrites policy
1 min readLast updated March 10, 2026
Why it matters
If enacted, this bill would shape everything from weapons procurement and base construction to the rules governing who gets admitted to military academies and how military health care is delivered. Communities dealing with DoD-linked PFAS contamination would get a concrete benefit through Section 317’s bottled-water requirement, while other provisions, including the ban on Chinese seafood in commissaries under Section 628 and the athletics restriction in Section 548, signal that Republicans are using the NDAA to hardwire broader political priorities into national security law.
On the Record
What Congress Is Saying
94 legislators have weighed in on S. 2296 — 44 Democrats, 48 Republicans, 2 Independents.
Mr. President, had Kaine amendment No. 3337 to Calendar No. 115, S. 2296, FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, been a recorded rollcall vote, I would have voted no.
Mr. President, had Kaine amendment No. 3337 to Calendar No. 115, S. 2296, FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, been a recorded rollcall vote, I would have voted no.
S. 2296 also appeared in 770 more Senate floor references and 55 routine cosponsor filings.
S2296 Legislative Journey
House: Action Taken
Nov 12, 2025
Held at the desk.
Action Taken
Nov 10, 2025
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed 77-20
Oct 9, 2025
Passed Senate under the order of 10/9/2025, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 77 - 20. Record Vote Number: 570.
+3 more actions this day
Floor Action
Oct 8, 2025
Considered by Senate.
Floor Action
Oct 6, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6943-6944)
Floor Action
Oct 1, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6889-6893)
Floor Action
Sep 30, 2025
Considered by Senate.
Floor Action
Sep 29, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6805-6813)
Floor Action
Sep 19, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6781-6784)
Floor Action
Sep 17, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6667)
Floor Action
Sep 16, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6625)
Floor Action
Sep 11, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6561)
Floor Action
Sep 10, 2025
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6512)
Floor Action
Sep 4, 2025
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S6050)
Floor Action
Sep 3, 2025
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S5989)
Floor Action
Sep 2, 2025
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S5539)
Action Taken
Aug 2, 2025
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S5522)
Committee Action
Jul 15, 2025
Committee on Armed Services. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Wicker. With written report No. 119-39.
Committee Action
Apr 9, 2025
Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-75, pt. 6.
Committee Action
Apr 8, 2025
Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-75, pt. 5.
Committee Action
Mar 5, 2025
Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-75, pt. 3.
About the Sponsor
Roger Wicker
Republican, MS · 31 years in Congress
Committees: Armed Services, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Commerce, Science, and Transportation
View full profile →
Committee Sponsors
Armed Services Committee
12D14R1I
|0 signed27 not yet0 of 27 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
14 Republicans across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
S. 2296 Quick Facts
Cosponsors
0
- Committee
- Armed Services
- Chamber
- Senate
- Policy
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Introduced
- Jul 15, 2025
Passed the Senate, received in House
Nov 12, 2025
S. 2296 Common Questions
Can military service academies consider race or sex in admissions under the 2026 NDAA?
No. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, service academies may not consider race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in admissions (Section 547).
Can males play on female sports teams at military academies under S. 2296?
No. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, males are barred from participating in female-designated athletic programs at military service academies (Section 548).
Does the 2026 NDAA ban sex change surgeries in the military health system?
It restricts them. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, performance of sex change surgeries is restricted (Section 706).
Does S. 2296 require bottled water for PFAS contamination near military bases?
Yes. According to S. 2296 Section 317, DoD must provide bottled water to communities with private drinking water contaminated by DoD-related PFAS.
Does the 2026 NDAA ban Chinese seafood from military commissaries?
Yes. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, seafood originating or processed in the People's Republic of China cannot be procured or sold in commissaries (Section 628).
Can the Air Force retire the A-10 under the 2026 NDAA?
No. According to S. 2296 Section 137, retirement of A-10 aircraft is prohibited.
What are the new China computer and printer restrictions in the 2026 NDAA?
The bill phases out DoD acquisition of computers and printers involving entities owned or controlled by China, under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Section 879).
Does S. 2296 create a Pentagon biotechnology office?
Yes. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, a Biotechnology Management Office is established at DoD (Section 231).
Can foreign entities contract with colleges doing DoD-funded research under the 2026 NDAA?
No. According to S. 2296 Section 216, contracts between foreign entities and institutions of higher education conducting DoD-funded research are prohibited.
Does the 2026 NDAA require a 20-year military infrastructure plan?
Yes. Under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, military departments must develop and annually update a 20-year infrastructure improvement plan (Section 2801).
Based on S. 2296 bill text
S. 2296 Bill Text
“To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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