National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Summary, written by a model from the CRS summary
The FY2026 NDAA authorizes Defense Department, DOE national security, State Department, Coast Guard, and Intelligence Community programs and policies. It explicitly sets policy on DOD cyber operations, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, and on intelligence community AI and biotechnology.
Model-rated AI relevance 55%: AI policy is named for both DOD and the IC, but it is one strand within a sweeping authorization bill. (claude-opus-5, Sep 9, 2026)
Sponsored by
John CornynRepublicanTXData as of: bills Sep 9, 2026 · votes Sep 11, 2026 · statements Sep 9, 2026. What changed
Progress
Introduced
Mar 14, 2025
Reported by committee
Dec 9, 2025
Passed House
Dec 10, 2025
Passed Senate
Aug 1, 2025
Became law
Dec 18, 2025
Latest action · December 18, 2025
Became Public Law No: 119-60.
Recorded votes
Floor votes carry every member's position; committee tallies carry totals only.
Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1071; A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes.
On the Motion · Agreed to
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1071; A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes.
On the Cloture Motion · Agreed to
Motion to Proceed to the House Message to Accompany S. 1071; A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes.
On the Motion to Proceed · Agreed to
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes
On Motion to Commit · Failed
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Fernando V. Cota from Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Texas, and for other purposes
On Passage · Passed
What members said
Releases that cite this bill first, then releases on the same topics.
Sanders would permanently ban superintelligent AI and pause advanced AI development until a new federal regulator sets safety rules.
Source ↗Hawley is investigating AI surveillance camera companies, arguing Congress never authorized these invasive AI-driven networks and that corporate self-policing is an inadequate safeguard.
Source ↗Foster would restore NCUA and FHFA authority over third-party tech vendors because AI makes cyberattacks on the financial system more sophisticated.
Source ↗Franklin touts $2.9 million for a Florida Poly lab doing applied AI and cybersecurity research and workforce training.
Source ↗Evans promotes American open-source AI leadership against China while adding commonsense consumer guardrails and mandated federal risk assessments of adversary models.
Source ↗Harrigan backs bipartisan monitoring of self-improving AI through NIST while stressing the bill imposes no new mandates and won't impede innovation.
Source ↗Jacobs introduces bipartisan legislation creating a DoD-wide AI incident and vulnerability reporting program to make military AI safer and more accountable.
Source ↗The 9/11 Review Task Force report treats AI as both an emerging threat and a tool intelligence agencies should adopt, with recommendations balancing modernization against privacy and civil liberties.
Source ↗Bill data read 2026-09-09T02:09:45.522Z