Peace Garden News

The U.S. Senate has passed the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a 77 to 20 vote. The legislation includes a provision from Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) called the Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act. This provision mandates the expansion of free credit monitoring services to all service members and their families, extending eligibility to non-active-duty reservists and traditional National Guard members. Previously, only active-duty service members and full-time National Guard members qualified for these services.

Senator Kevin Cramer said, “Our service members put so much on the line and are frequently deployed or regularly moving, leaving them more vulnerable to financial fraud. The inclusion of the Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act in this year’s NDAA is an important step to protecting their financial security.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar stated, “Servicemembers are heroes who put their lives on the line for our nation and we must support them in every way we can. By making free credit monitoring available for every single member of our armed forces, this bipartisan legislation will improve the financial security of military families and give them greater peace of mind.”

The Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act previously passed the full Senate unanimously in November 2024. It has received endorsements from organizations such as The Military Coalition, 24 servicemember organizations, and credit reporting agencies TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.

The NDAA, which passed the House in September, will now move to a conference committee where members from both chambers will negotiate and reconcile differences between their versions.