House Passes FY26 Defense Bill, Investing in America’s Military Superiority

Key items for our lane in this House Appropriations press release:

• Codifying President Trump’s executive actions to end discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs by prohibiting funding for DEI efforts and Critical Race Theory.
• Backing President Trump’s executive action to restore free speech by prohibiting funding for federal government censorship.
• Amplifying President Trump’s executive action to restore readiness by prohibiting funding for sex-change surgeries.
• Reinforcing President Trump’s executive action on withdrawing funding from United Nations organizations acting contrary to U.S. interests by prohibiting funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
• Continuing the prohibition on funding for any discriminatory action against individuals advocating for traditional marriage.
• Advancing prohibitions on funding for abortion-related travel, drag queen shows, and COVID vaccine and mask mandates.

(Press Release) Today, the House of Representatives met to consider the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026. The measure was approved by a vote of 221 to 209.

Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said, “Providing our men and women in uniform with the resources they need to keep America safe is one of the most important constitutional responsibilities of Congress. The passage of the FY26 Defense Appropriations Act advances our national security goals by investing in the platforms and programs that enhance America’s military dominance. The bill makes innovation a priority by expanding programs I have championed that rapidly deploy cutting-edge, difference making systems into the hands of our warfighters. Our troops are the backbone of our national security and receive a well-deserved pay raise in this bill.”

Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “America’s military ensures that the call of duty never echoes unanswered. The Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act reflects that same unwavering commitment to our national security and the heroes in uniform who defend it. We ensure our troops can deter, fight, and win. Strategic investments restore military strength, accelerate innovation, and reinforce peace through strength. The bill also bolsters U.S. industrial supply chains, delivers next-generation weapons and assets, and includes a well-earned pay raise for our troops. Under Chairman Calvert’s leadership, each allocation upholds the warrior ethos, restores deterrence, and ensures our forces remain unmatched. I’m proud to support this bill and an America First defense.”

Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act

The Defense Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $831.5 billion, which is flat to the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level, advances the America First agenda, and adheres to the discretionary budget topline put forward in the OMB budget request.

The bill invests in America’s military superiority, shapes a more efficient and effective Department of Defense, protects from threats at America’s border, and takes care of our troops and their families.

Key Takeaways

Champions America’s military superiority by: 

• Enhancing investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft including the F-35, F-47, and F/A-XX.
• Supporting the modernization of the nuclear triad: the B-21 Raider, the Columbia Class Submarine, and Sentinel.
• Targeting resources for unmanned aerial systems, uncrewed maritime platforms, and land-based counter-unmanned aerial systems to advance capabilities and strengthen our national defense.
• Investing in national security space, including proliferated missile warning, missile tracking satellite, and next generation intelligence collection systems to ensure national leaders have real-time global situational awareness.
• Allocating approximately $13 billion for missile defense and space programs to augment and integrate in support of the Golden Dome effort.
• Providing over $2.6 billion for hypersonics programs.
• Reversing the “divest to invest” trend by preserving F-15s and U-2s while investing in next-generation fighters and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.
• Continuing to prioritize innovation through over $1.3 billion combined for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT), and Office of Strategic Capital (OSC).
• Supporting our close ally Israel by providing $500 million for the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Programs, and $122.5 million for U.S.-Israel cooperative development programs.

Cares for our troops and their families by: 

• Including an increase of 3.8% in basic pay for all military personnel effective January 1, 2026.
• Continuing historic pay increases enacted in Fiscal Year 2025 for junior enlisted servicemembers.
• Improving quality of life, readiness, and continuity for servicemembers by slowing permanent change of station moves, saving over $662 million.

Shapes a more efficient and effective Department of Defense by: 

• Reducing $6.5 billion and almost 45,000 civilian full-time equivalents to capture Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative efforts.
• Prioritizing fiscal sanity and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse through codifying both the Department’s cooperation with DOGE and streamlined functions and management improvements at the Pentagon.
• Requiring detailed reporting on the Department’s proposed allocations and expenditures of reconciliation.

Combats international actors who facilitate drug trafficking and manufacturing by: 

• Providing $1.15 billion for counter drug programs, which is $245 million above the budget request.
• Increasing funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program.
• Transferring Mexico from U.S. Northern Command’s jurisdiction to U.S. Southern Command for better coordination and prioritization.

Supports the Trump Administration and mandate of the American people by: 

• Codifying President Trump’s executive actions to end discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs by prohibiting funding for DEI efforts and Critical Race Theory.
• Backing President Trump’s executive action to restore free speech by prohibiting funding for federal government censorship.
• Amplifying President Trump’s executive action to restore readiness by prohibiting funding for sex-change surgeries.
• Reinforcing President Trump’s executive action on withdrawing funding from United Nations organizations acting contrary to U.S. interests by prohibiting funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
• Continuing the prohibition on funding for any discriminatory action against individuals advocating for traditional marriage.
• Advancing prohibitions on funding for abortion-related travel, drag queen shows, and COVID vaccine and mask mandates.

A summary of the bill, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here.
Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.

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21 SEC. 8141. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to carry out any program, project, or activity that promotes or advances Critical Race Theory, any concept associated with Critical Race Theory, or that teaches or trains any idea or concept that condones an individual being discriminated against or receiving adverse or beneficial treatment based on race or sex, that condones an individual feeling discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of   psychological distress on account of that individual’s race or sex, as well as any idea or concept that regards one race as inherently superior to another race, the United States or its institutions as being systemically racist or sexist, an individual as being inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive by virtue of that individual’s race or sex, an individual’s moral character as being necessarily determined by race or sex, an individual as bearing responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex, or meritocracy being racist, sexist, or having been created by a particular race to oppress another race.

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5 SEC. 8144. None of the funds appropriated or other6 wise made available by this Act may be used to promote, host, facilitate, or support events on United States military installations or as part of military recruiting programs that violate the Department of Defense Joint Ethics Regulation or bring discredit upon the military, such as a drag queen story hour for children or the use of drag queens as military recruiters.

13 SEC. 8145. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for surgical procedures or hormone therapies for the purposes of gender affirming care.

22 SEC. 8147. None of the funds appropriated or other23 wise made available by this Act may be used to implement, administer, apply, enforce, or carry out the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan of the Department of Defense, or Executive Order 13985 of January 20, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 7009, relating to advancing racial equity and support for under-served communities through the Federal Government), Executive Order 14035 of June 25, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 34593, relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the Federal workforce), Executive Order 14091 of February 16, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 10825, relating to further advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the Federal government), or shall be used to execute activities that promote or perpetuate divisive concepts related to race or sex, such as the concepts that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, or that an individual’s moral character or worth is  determined by their race or sex.

16 SEC. 8148. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any office of diversity, equity, or inclusion.