US House passes US$1 trillion defence Bill despite Iran, Israel concerns
The vote was largely along party lines, as all but seven Republicans voted in favour of the measure and all but six Democrats voted against.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks to the press following a House vote on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the Fiscal Year 2027 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US on Jul 22, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives narrowly passed its version of a massive defence policy Bill on Wednesday (Jul 22), despite Democrats’ concerns about its huge price tag, the Iran war and a provision that would boost Pentagon ties to Israel.
The fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which authorises an unprecedented US$1.15 trillion in spending for the military, passed the House by 216 to 212.
The vote was largely along party lines, as all but seven Republicans voted in favour of the measure and all but six Democrats voted against.
Democrats objected to the huge amount of money being authorised for the Pentagon, at a time when President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans are slashing spending on social programs.
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
They also object to the ongoing and deeply unpopular war with Iran, which the Pentagon said has cost US$37.5 billion so far.
Republicans said the trillion-dollar spending is essential to support the military as it wages war in Iran, fund defense systems development and equipment purchases and provide benefits for the troops like raises of up to 7 per cent and construction for barracks and family housing.
Another measure that worried Democrats was a provision that would substantially expand military technology cooperation between the United States and Israel, despite calls from many Americans – particularly on the left – to roll back US support for Israel over concern about the heavy toll on Palestinian civilians of its attacks in Gaza.
IN 2026, “MUST-PASS” BILL MAY NOT PASS
Historically seen by both parties as “must-pass legislation,” the NDAA is one of the few major Bills that always gets through Congress, having become law for 65 straight years.
This year’s Bill faces major challenges, given deep partisan divisions within Congress on issues ranging from the massive size of the military budget to the Iran war, aid to Israel and Ukraine and “culture war” causes like the treatment of transgender troops.
The fiscal 2027 NDAA’s fate was also complicated because Republicans voted to attach it to the “SAVE America Act”. Trump-backed legislation to tighten restrictions on voting, before sending it to the Senate. The impact of that decision on the NDAA’s fate was unclear, given that there are not enough votes in the Senate to pass the voting law.
Senate Democrats blocked the Senate’s version of the NDAA last week. The chamber’s Republican leaders have pledged to try again to advance the Bill before leaving Washington for their August recess.
It is early in the NDAA process.
Each year, the House and Senate pass their own versions of the NDAA before Armed Services committee negotiators agree on a compromise version that then comes up for a vote in each chamber.
If the compromise version passes, it would be sent to the White House for Trump to sign into law or veto.
Source: Reuters/nh
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
About The Author
