NDAA TEXT RELEASED, VOTE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY
Congressional leaders released the text of the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a compromise bill finalized by House and Senate negotiators that includes the following provisions of interest to the Duke community. A vote on the bill is expected to occur on Wednesday.
- Authorizes $2.3 billion for basic research, $73 million above the FY 26 budget request
- Prohibits the modification of indirect cost rates for higher education institutions and nonprofit organizations without prior consultation with those groups.
- Extends existing limits on federal support for certain international research collaborations
- Directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to assess the potential creation of incubator programs to support secure research facilities and networks at universities.
Notably, the conference agreement does not include the SAFE Research Act, which was included in the House version and would prohibited federal research agencies from funding researchers who collaborate with “foreign adversaries."
