{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/12/17/2025/bill-to-strengthen-national-defense-with-provisions-championed-by-senator-collins-to-be-signed-into-law", "Bill to Strengthen National Defense with Provisions Championed by Senator Collins to be Signed into Law", "2025-12-17", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Mike Collins", "C001129", "www.collins.senate.gov", "collins", "https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $900.6 billion, has passed both chambers of Congress, with votes of 77 to 20 and 312 to 112 in the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. The FY26 NDAA now heads to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\nThis annual defense bill authorizes spending levels and sets policy for the military and critical national defense priorities, while the defense appropriations bill, which is under the jurisdiction of the Senate Appropriations Committee, appropriates the funding for the Department of Defense (DOD) each fiscal year. The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the FY26 Defense funding bill in July by a vote of 26-3.\n\n\u201cWith this legislation heading to the President\u2019s desk, Congress has fulfilled one of its most important Constitutional responsibilities\u2014providing for our national defense,\u201d said Senator Collins. \u201cThe NDAA addresses the many national security threats facing our nation today and better supports the brave men and women of our armed forces. Additionally, the bill authorizes funding that will support the hardworking Mainers of our state\u2019s defense industrial base, who make invaluable contributions to our national defense.\u201d\n\nSeveral provisions and amendments authored or co-authored by Senator Collins were included in the final bill that passed the Senate today:\n\nBerry Amendment-Compliant Footwear Report.\n\nAmendment filed by Senator Collins will require the Department of Defense to submit a report on the U.S. boot industrial base and a plan to achieve full Berry Amendment compliance for combat footwear.\n\nPublic Shipyard Apprentice Program.\n\nAmendment filed by Senator Collins will strengthen the skilled trades pipeline at public shipyards like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\n\nCounter Act.\n\nCosponsored by Senator Collins, provisions from this bill will expand the Department of Defense\u2019s authority to defend its facilities from illegal drone activity.\n\nThe NDAA also includes several provisions Senator Collins strongly advocated for that will benefit Maine:\n\nSupport for U.S. Troops.\n\nAuthorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for all service members\u2014including the thousands of Maine men and women serving in uniform.\n\nIncludes reforms to streamline and modernize defense procurement to ensure our military is better equipped and supplied.\n\nDirects a study on behavioral and mental health staffing shortfalls at military medical treatment facilities to improve access to care for service members and their families.\n\nSupport for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.\n\n$227.8 million for power reliability and water resilience upgrades.\n\n$220.8 million for the Multi-Mission Drydock #1 extension.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/12/17/2025/bill-to-strengthen-national-defense-with-provisions-championed-by-senator-collins-to-be-signed-into-law"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5643378719687462, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}