House Passes Contested $1.15 Trillion Defense Bill Amid Iran War and Voting-Rights Riders

The Republican-controlled U.S. House approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a 216-212 vote. The measure authorizes $1.15 trillion in defense spending for the 2027 fiscal year, includes 5-7 % pay raises for service members, and formally renames the Defense Department as the “Department of War.” The bill also bundles the Save America Act—President Donald Trump’s proposal to restrict mail-in voting and tighten voter-ID rules—along with several socially conservative amendments, such as limiting gender-related care under TRICARE and easing firearm carriage on bases.

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The NDAA arrives as the United States escalates a war with Iran, prompting a separate $73 billion war-budget package that falls far short of the Pentagon’s $350 billion request for a $1.5 trillion total defense outlay. A Republican amendment to halt all aid to Ukraine was defeated 76-350, while a proposal to codify a Trump-issued ban on transgender service members failed 212-217. The House also approved amendments barring certain gender-related medical services and prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in Department-of-Defense-run schools.

The Guardian

The White House praised the spending levels and the Department-of-War designation, noting the administration’s executive order that initially renamed the department and expressing willingness to work with Congress on remaining provisions.

Philadelphia Inquirer

Democratic ranking member Adam Smith condemned the legislation as a “partisan bill” loaded with “toxic, partisan amendments” that threaten domestic programs and the LGBTQ+ community. Critics also highlighted the $1.6 trillion total defense budget projection as unaffordable for a public struggling with basic expenses.

The Guardian

• “For the first time in 40 years, we’ve been presented a budget that accounts for the true cost of American deterrence. This topline begins to reverse the damage caused by decades of underinvestment in the US military,” — Mike Rogers, the House armed services committee chair

The Guardian

• “The annual NDAA used to be a consistently bipartisan, substantive piece of legislation,” — Rosa DeLauro

The Guardian

• “Our country faces threats and DoD has modernization needs, but I will not support making massive cuts to critically important domestic programs and slashing taxes to meet those needs,” — Adam Smith

The Guardian

• “The American people are struggling to pay their bills and we’re going to put $1.6 trillion into the defense budget. It’s not a reasonable thing to ask,” — Adam Smith

Philadelphia Inquirer

• “We are in an incredibly, incredibly dangerous time,” — Adam Smith

Philadelphia Inquirer