WASHINGTON — The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 26-1 to advance its version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2026.
The committee’s $878.7 billion authorization — which now heads to the full Senate for consideration — includes provisions on space launch safety protocols, spectrum protection and homeland missile defense, according to a summary of the bill released July 11.
The NDAA sets policy direction and outlines congressional priorities for the Department of Defense.
The SASC directs the Air Force to conduct a comprehensive study of future heavy and super heavy space launch capacity, reflecting concerns about ensuring adequate access to space as national security launch requirements expand.
The legislation also requires the Air Force to publish a blast damage assessment guide tailored to liquid oxygen (LOX) and methane propellants — a propellant mix used across the commercial launch sector for its performance advantages.
Federal agencies have previously directed studies on LOX-methane explosions, but the committee’s language reflects a desire for updated, operationally useful guidance at U.S. military launch ranges.
Missile defense and spectrum protection
The committee threw its weight behind the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative, supporting development of the comprehensive defense architecture while directing the establishment of a robust testing regime. The Golden Dome program is an effort to create an integrated missile defense shield protecting the U.S. homeland from advanced aerial threats.
Separately, the bill requires the defense secretary to brief lawmakers on the state of the U.S. hypersonic materials manufacturing and industrial base. This provision comes amid concerns about America’s ability to compete with China and Russia in the hypersonic weapons domain.
The committee waded into the radio-frequency spectrum allocation debate, essentially telling DoD to not give up spectrum unless it can guarantee it won’t impact military systems. The bill prohibits modifications to Defense Department systems operating in the 3100-3450 megahertz and 7400-8400 megahertz bands unless the Pentagon certifies to Congress that such changes wouldn’t degrade military capabilities.
The spectrum provision is in response to longtime efforts by telecommunications companies seeking access to military-controlled frequencies for 5G wireless networks and other commercial applications. The lower band (3100-3450 MHz) has become particularly contentious, with defense officials warning that spectrum sharing could disrupt critical military radar, communications and satellite operations.
What’s Next
The Senate’s version of the NDAA now advances to floor consideration, while the House Armed Services Committee is scheduled to mark up its competing version on July 15. The two chambers will ultimately need to reconcile their differences in a conference committee process typically completed by year’s end.
The NDAA is an annual authorization bill that sets defense policy priorities and spending levels, but actual funding comes through separate appropriations legislation. Congress has passed an NDAA every year for more than six decades, making it one of the few pieces of major legislation that consistently becomes law regardless of political divisions.