House passes $832B defense appropriations bill

WASHINGTON — The House passed its $832 billion defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2026 in a 221-209 vote Thursday night.

The bill keeps defense spending flat with FY25, conforming to the Pentagon’s request. But because it was drafted before the Defense Department’s own budget release, it contains key differences such as more F-35s; funding to continue the E-7 Wedgetail program, which the department wants to cancel; and additional money for the Navy’s F/A-XX fighter, which the White House said could endanger the Air Force’s F-47 program.

Five Democrats joined Republicans to pass the bill, while three GOP members opposed it.

“The passage of the FY26 Defense Appropriations Act advances our national security goals by investing in the platforms and programs that enhance America’s military dominance,” Rep. Ken Calvert, chairman of the House appropriations defense subcommittee, said in a statement. “The bill makes innovation a priority by expanding programs I have championed that rapidly deploy cutting-edge, difference making systems into the hands of our warfighters.”

Rep. Betty McCollum, the top Democrat on the subcommittee, said she could not vote for the bill, in part because it was written without having a detailed budget request from the Trump administration laying out its justification for spending decisions.

“It is in the best interests of our nation for the defense bill to be written the right way — with thoughtful analysis,” she said. “DoD’s programs require a detailed annual review because these programs naturally ebb and flow over time. The only way for our subcommittee to analyze this information and write a thoughtful and informed bill is to review a full budget request.”

House members voted on a bipartisan basis to defeat amendments by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., which sought to strike funding for Israeli Cooperative Programs and prohibit funding included in the bill from being used for Ukraine. The Israel amendment, which would have removed $500 million for Israeli missile defense programs such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling, was defeated in a 442-6 vote.

The Ukraine amendment, defeated 353-76, was largely symbolic, as House appropriators had not included any funding for Ukraine in the spending bill. However, Calvert argued that the provision could ultimately take away leverage from President Donald Trump to increase Ukraine spending as a way to put pressure on Russia.

You can read more about the details of the House’s FY26 spending bill here:

• House appropriations committee release flat $832B FY26 funding proposal ahead of the Pentagon
• House GOP appropriators pass defense spending bill, defeating Dem measures on Air Force One, Ukraine 

This version of the FY26 defense budget is not the final word on the topic, as the House bill will have to be reconciled with the Senate’s own spending bill further down the line. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to release its defense spending proposal.