BREAKING: House passes record defense bill, setting up a high stakes Senate fight
I can confirm the House has approved the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The vote was 312 to 112. The bill authorizes about 900 billion dollars in defense policy and programs. It is the largest NDAA on record, and it is loaded with hard choices. It pushes military aid to allies. It boosts pay and base services. It also cuts DEI and many climate programs, and again leaves out IVF coverage for military families. [IMAGE_1]
What the House just passed
This bill defines U.S. defense policy for the next year. It sets priorities for global deterrence, force readiness, and oversight. It does not write the checks, it sets the legal framework and the guardrails.
The package moves money toward near term threats. It also tilts culture and personnel policy in a new direction. That blend explains the vote, and the clash now moving to the Senate.
Authorizations are not funding. Congress must pass appropriations before dollars flow.
The core moves on security and readiness
The bill commits multi year support to key partners and tries to lock in U.S. posture overseas. It also gives troops a pay raise and orders quality of life fixes.
- Two years of 400 million dollars per year for Ukraine.
- Expanded support for Taiwan, plus aid for the Philippines and the Baltic states.
- Funding for Israel missile defense.
- Caps on U.S. troop cuts in Europe and South Korea.
The armed forces get about a 4 percent pay raise. The bill directs repairs to base housing and more childcare access. It also pushes the Pentagon to speed up buying and fielding systems. That includes new rules to trim delays and report cost growth.
The legal posture abroad
Congress uses the NDAA to place conditions on troop levels and aid. Caps on force reductions are a legal brake on sudden shifts. Multi year aid signals commitment, which can deter adversaries. It also binds future budgets, which adds pressure on appropriators.
The culture fight inside the bill
House leaders removed many DEI programs and most climate related initiatives. That means cutbacks to certain diversity training, offices, and green transition pilots. The Pentagon will have to revise directives and unwind some efforts this year.
The bill again leaves out IVF and related fertility coverage for military families. That is a direct policy choice. It will keep many families paying out of pocket, seeking waivers, or delaying treatment. For service members, this is not abstract. It shapes family planning, retention, and morale.
No IVF coverage is authorized in this bill. Military families remain without a clear benefit for fertility care.
Civil rights groups will press the Pentagon to use existing equal opportunity laws. They will argue that cutting DEI does not cancel Title VII duties, or protections against bias. Environmental groups will point to base pollution and climate threats to readiness. Those demands now collide with the new policy line Congress just set.
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Oversight, transparency, and a right to repair setback
Lawmakers tightened reporting rules on certain operations. One provision requires the Pentagon to release video and data from specific maritime interdictions. Until it complies, 25 percent of the Defense Secretary’s travel budget is on hold. That is a sharp use of Congress’s power to compel transparency.
The bill also advances procurement reforms. Expect more milestone reviews and more data to Congress on major weapons. The goal is to cut cost overruns, and to force earlier fixes.
One notable reversal, right to repair for military gear was stripped. Troops and units will not gain new legal rights to fix equipment on their own. That keeps more control with contractors. It may reduce field flexibility, and it may raise sustainment costs.
Watch for implementing memos from the Pentagon within 60 to 90 days. That is where many rules become real.
What happens next, and what it means for you
The Senate now takes up the bill. A conference may be needed to resolve policy differences. After that, the final package goes to the President. Even if signed, the money requires separate appropriations. Without those bills, programs stall or run under stopgaps.
For service members, the pay raise and base upgrades hinge on funding bills. For families, the IVF gap remains. For citizens, the oversight pieces matter. More mandated transparency can reveal how force is used in your name, and how your tax dollars perform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does this bill spend money right away?
A: No. It authorizes programs and policy. Congress must pass appropriations to spend.
Q: What changes most for troops?
A: A roughly 4 percent pay raise, plus planned improvements to housing, infrastructure, and childcare.
Q: How does it support allies?
A: It authorizes two years of Ukraine aid, adds support for Taiwan, the Philippines, and the Baltics, and funds Israel missile defense.
Q: What happened to DEI, climate, and IVF?
A: Many DEI and climate programs were cut. IVF coverage was not included, again.
Q: Can I weigh in before this becomes law?
A: Yes. Contact your Senators now. The Senate and any conference committee can still change provisions.
In short, the House just bet big on deterrence and readiness, and it rewrote key culture rules inside the military. The Senate will decide how much of that stands. The clock is now running on both policy and pay, and on the rights and benefits that shape life in uniform.
