The U.S. Senate passed the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Dec. 18, bringing the $895.2 billion bill one step closer to becoming law.
The 85–14 Senate vote came one week after the House passed the military budget measure. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk for consideration in his final weeks before he leaves office.
Along with providing the military with its general operating budget and continuing funding for weapons development and procurement projects, this year’s NDAA also includes notable pay increases for service members and support for other programs to improve their quality of life.
All service members would see a pay bump of 4.5 percent, while junior enlisted service members would receive a targeted pay raise of 14.5 percent. Other quality-of-life improvements in the bill include increased cost-of-living and basic needs allowances, military spouse employment support, and funding for child care programs….