U.S. Senate passes NDAA bill authorizing US$1 billion for Taiwan defense

Washington, Dec. 17 (CNA) The United States Senate on Wednesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes authorization of up to US$1 billion in funds for Taiwan-related security cooperation in 2026.

The legislation had already been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives after the two chambers agreed on a compromise version of the massive bill, which covers more than US$900 billion in U.S. national defense spending and related issues.

The bipartisan act reflects an "evolving security landscape and ensures the U.S. remains prepared to deter adversaries like China and Russia while reinforcing vital partnerships with allies, including Taiwan," U.S. Senator John Curtis said in a statement on Wednesday.

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The NDAA authorizes up to US$1 billion in funding for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, which covers aspects such as medical equipment, supply capacity, and "combat casualty-care capabilities."

It also authorizes U.S. forces to continue training Taiwan and other partner countries to counter what the legislation describes as Chinese coercion and malign influence operations.

Under the NDAA, the Pentagon is required to "enable fielding of uncrewed and anti-uncrewed systems capabilities" with Taiwan by March 1, 2026.

Systems covered by the act must comply with the Taiwan Relations Act and be usable by both U.S. and Taiwanese forces, it says. Projected 2026-2030 costs include deployments of U.S. Coast Guard training teams to Taiwan to strengthen maritime security, law-enforcement capacity, and deterrence.

The NDAA also incorporates the Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act, which supports Taiwan's participation in the International Monetary Fund.