US House passes $1.15tn defense bill amid Democratic opposition

The US House of Representatives approved a $1.15 trillion defense policy bill on Wednesday, with the vote largely falling along party lines. Democrats largely rejected the measure, citing concerns over the ongoing war with Iran and former President Donald Trump's push for new national voting restrictions.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a key component of a proposed $1.5 trillion military spending plan for fiscal year 2027, passed the Republican-controlled chamber by a narrow 216-212 margin. All but six Democrats voted against it, while seven House Republicans also broke ranks. The bill now proceeds to the Senate for consideration.

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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.

Traditionally passed with bipartisan support, the NDAA's high cost is often justified as necessary for significant military investments. House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers stated before the vote that the budget represented the first time in 40 years that it accounted for the true cost of American deterrence, aiming to reverse decades of underinvestment.

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Our country faces threats and DoD has modernization needs, but I cannot and do not support meeting these needs by making massive cuts to critically important domestic programs and slashing taxes.

However, this year's NDAA faced complications. The president's decision to join Israel in attacking Iran without prior congressional authorization led Senate Democrats to block their chamber's version of the bill. Further alienating Democrats was the inclusion of the Save America Act, a Trump-backed proposal championed by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, which seeks to ban mail-in ballots and impose stricter voter identification requirements.

Democrats also expressed fiscal concerns, questioning the $1.15 trillion price tag and the planned cuts to domestic programs. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, argued for greater fiscal responsibility and innovation within the Department of Defense to meet national security needs more cost-effectively. Some progressive Democrats also opposed the bill due to provisions strengthening defense industry cooperation with Israel, viewing it as a threat to American sovereignty.

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This amendment is an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy.