The Senate $900B Defense Bill surged through the upper chamber Wednesday, a sprawling blueprint for U.S. military policy and spending that also tightens the screws on the Pentagon over undisclosed footage from maritime strikes near Venezuela.
Lawmakers voted 77-20 to approve the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act, a more than 3,000-page measure authorizing $900.6 billion for defense-related programs. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
What the Money Covers
The legislation allocates roughly $855.7 billion to the U.S. Department of Defense, with another $34.3 billion dedicated to nuclear weapons programs managed by the Department of Energy. The remaining funds are spread across defense-related initiatives at other federal agencies.
Pressure Point: Unedited Strike Footage
Buried within the vast bill is a pointed provision aimed at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. It would restrict the Office of the Secretary of Defense from accessing more than 75% of its travel funds until Hegseth delivers unedited video of U.S. strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in international waters near Venezuela to the House and Senate Armed Services committees.
A Defense Department representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
