The Senate late Thursday approved its massive annual defense policy bill as the U.S. government remains shut down.

The GOP-led chamber approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 70-20, which funds the U.S. military at $924.7 billion in fiscal year 2026. The vote came after lawmakers reached a deal earlier in the day to unlock the stalled legislation.

The bill’s passage allows the House and Senate armed services committees to begin the sometimes arduous conference process, during which lawmakers hammer out a compromise between each chambers’ version of the legislation. The House version of the NDAA, passed last month, has a much lower topline at nearly $893 billion.

The NDAA had come to the Senate floor in early September but saw little movement until Thursday morning. Action on the bill was stalled as all 100 senators must agree to hold votes on amendments, with several sticking points causing a handful of lawmakers........

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