The House passed a bill early Friday aimed at earmarking approximately $83.2 billion for the 2026 defense budget, just weeks after Republicans endorsed a separate $150 billion initiative aligned with Trump’s defense objectives.
This legislation was approved by the GOP-controlled Chamber of Commerce with a vote of 221-209, primarily along party lines.
Remarkably, this is only the second spending bill that Republicans have managed to push through for 2026, following their earlier approval of Trump’s tax measures. The party has been focused on curbing spending for several months now.
Passed on Thursday, the bill is set to enhance funding for active duty, reserve, and National Guard personnel to a total of $189 billion, surpassing previous levels. Furthermore, military base salaries could see a rise of 3.8% starting in January.
In terms of procurement, the bill proposes an increase of $174 billion—up $6.5 billion from current figures. However, funding for operations and maintenance would decrease by $283 billion, which is about $7 billion lower than what was allocated for 2025.
Additionally, the legislation encompasses around $148 billion for research, development, testing, and evaluation, while also expanding health programs for the Department of Defense and enhancing overseas humanitarian and civic assistance.
This bill follows a recent decision by Republicans to authorize more defense spending as part of Trump’s ambitious initiative. A key component of this initiative is $25 billion dedicated to Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense system, with intentions to include funding for shipbuilding, maritime industrial bases, ammunition, and nuclear deterrence.
Democrats have voiced opposition to the overall defense budget plan, which appears to solidify Trump’s policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), while also proposing limitations on funding for abortion-related travel and gender-affirming surgeries.
Nonetheless, the party managed to negotiate some amendments during discussions in the House Appropriations Committee, reflecting recent debates within the Pentagon from the Trump era. One significant change aimed to prevent military deployment for law enforcement purposes, and another sought to prohibit the sharing of classified information over unsecured networks.
