U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which passed the Senate with a 77-20 vote and now awaits the President’s signature.
The NDAA sets policies for the Department of Defense, outlines national security priorities, and provides a pay raise for service members. Senator Young highlighted several provisions he helped secure in this year’s bill.
“The National Defense Authorization Act is one of the most important pieces of legislation Congress considers each year. I’m pleased this year’s bill includes several priorities I’ve worked on to modernize our defense capabilities, support Indiana’s defense industrial base and workforce, and maintain American leadership in biotech. This year’s NDAA also includes my bill to repeal the Gulf and Iraq War AUMFs and close the book on these ‘forever wars.’ I’ve been pushing for years to repeal these outdated AUMFs, and I am pleased that my repeal bill is included in the final NDAA. I look forward to President Trump signing this critical bill into law,” said Senator Young.
Included in the NDAA is a provision authored by Senators Young and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that repeals the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq. According to Senator Young, “The Gulf War started 34 years ago, and the Iraq War began 22 years ago. These conflicts have long ended, and today Iraq is a partner, not an adversary.” The legislation was incorporated into both versions of the NDAA from the House and Senate.
The NDAA also contains measures such as the BIOSECURE Act, which prohibits federal contracts with certain biotechnology providers linked to foreign adversaries. This effort follows Senator Young’s work as chair of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB). In addition to this act, 17 other recommendations from NSCEB were included to encourage innovation in biotechnology related to national security.
Furthermore, provisions from the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) are part of this year’s NDAA. These provisions authorize funding, provide legal authorities, and strengthen oversight of U.S. intelligence agencies. They address threats across multiple sectors including defense, industry, agriculture, and health.
Three pieces of legislation authored by Senator Young were included in both the IAA and NDAA.
