House Passes $832B Defense Budget With Bipartisan Support

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an $832 billion defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026, marking a largely partisan vote with five Democrats joining most Republicans in support. The legislation includes a 3.8% pay raise for military personnel, funds procurement of aircraft including F-35s and B-21 bombers, and allocates billions toward missile defense programs supporting President Trump's 'Golden Dome' initiative. While the bill slightly reduces overall base defense spending compared to the current fiscal year, it boosts funding for personnel, procurement, research, and health programs. Democrats criticized the bill for cutting funding to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, blocking diversity and abortion-related services for service members, and maintaining investments in costly programs like the F-35 despite Pentagon audit failures. The bill also includes mandates for domestic manufacturing of defense components and restrictions on certain expenditures and foreign transactions. The Senate will now consider the measure amid concerns about completing appropriations on time to avoid a government shutdown.