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ARTICLE · 17 DECEMBER 2025

Congress Moves Forward With AI Measures In Key Defense Legislation

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On December 7, 2025, House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders unveiled legislative text (House Amendment to S. 1071) for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 must-pass defense authorization bill...

United StatesTechnology
Ed Pagano
Ed Pagano
Hans Christopher Rickhoff
Hans Christopher Rickhoff
Ryan Thompson
Ryan Thompson
Reggie Babin
Reggie Babin
Casey C. Higgins
Casey C. Higgins
Samuel J. Olswanger
Samuel J. Olswanger
Taylor Daly
Taylor Daly
Francine Baidoo
Francine Baidoo
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Introduction

On December 7, 2025, House and Senate Armed Services Committee leaders unveiled legislative text (House Amendment to S. 1071) for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 must-pass defense authorization bill, which contains a number of artificial intelligence (AI) provisions that will likely become law by the end of the year, setting the stage for an initial vote in the House this week, followed by expected action in the Senate ahead of the holiday recess.

The conference report is the product of bicameral negotiations to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The House passed its version (H.R. 3838) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in September, while the Senate passed its version (S. 2296) in October (see prior alert here).

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