Senate Approves $838.7 Billion Defense Bill, House to Review

The United States Senate has passed a significant defense spending bill amounting to $838.7 billion for fiscal year 2026. This legislation, approved with a vote of 71-29, comes as part of a broader agreement aimed at preventing a government shutdown. The bill includes full-year appropriations for the Department of Defense and other federal departments, although it notably replaces permanent funding for the Department of Homeland Security with a temporary two-week resolution.

As federal funding for the Defense Department is set to expire at midnight, the urgency intensifies for the House of Representatives to act on the newly passed Senate version. House members are scheduled to reconvene on Monday to discuss the bill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed uncertainty regarding Democratic support for the funding package, stating, “There’s no agreement that’s been before us,” during a news conference earlier today.

The House had previously advanced a bipartisan funding package with a vote of 341-88, which included allocations for defense, health and human services, and other departments. A separate vote for the Department of Homeland Security appropriations narrowly passed, bolstered by support from only seven Democrats. The strategic decision by House Republican leaders to combine the funding package with the DHS bill aimed to secure the necessary 60 votes for Senate passage. This tactic, however, faced backlash following the recent death of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents, prompting Senate Democrats to reject the full-year DHS funding proposal.

Despite the surrounding political challenges, the defense appropriations bill itself is largely considered uncontroversial. The fiscal year 2026 defense bill allocates $8.4 billion more than the Pentagon’s initial budget request from last summer. However, the Department of Defense has submitted additional requests exceeding $50 billion since then, leaving it short of its desired funding for the fiscal year. Included in these requests is $26.5 billion to address discrepancies between the fiscal year 2026 request and prior reconciliation bills, which highlighted funding shortfalls for crucial programs such as the Virginia-class submarine.

In addition to these financial adjustments, lawmakers have introduced further allocations, such as $897 million for the Navy’s F/A-XX program, directing the service to initiate contracts for the development of a sixth-generation fighter. The bill also secures $1.1 billion to sustain the E-7 Wedgetail program, which the Air Force proposed to cancel. Furthermore, it adds nearly $300 million to the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program, despite the Army’s recommendation to terminate it.

The White House expressed support for the budget agreement, emphasizing its commitment to make “critical investments in lethality” and to enhance U.S. shipbuilding capabilities. According to a statement of administration policy released on Thursday, “The Administration appreciates this provision and looks forward to continuing to work with Congress moving forward to ensure that critical munitions needs are met.”

As the House prepares to assess the Senate’s action, the implications of the defense spending bill will be closely monitored, not only for its immediate impact on military funding but also for its broader consequences in the context of government operations and national security.