According to reports from Reuters and the Guardian, on July 22 local time, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2027, authorizing a record $1.15 trillion in military spending.
The final vote on this bill was 216 votes in favor and 212 votes against. The voting results showed a clear party conflict, with only 7 Republican members voting against the bill, and 6 Democratic members voting in favor.
This bill increases the military spending of the United States by $252.4 billion in the fiscal year 2027, an increase of 28% compared to the previous fiscal year. The bill also stipulates an increase in the total number of regular troops by 40,100 people, reaching 1.3429 million. This includes an additional 15,000 soldiers for the Army, 12,000 for the Navy, 8,900 for the Air Force, 2,800 for the Space Force, and 1,400 for the Marine Corps.
Besides, the bill will also raise military pay by 5% to 7%, and officially rename the Pentagon as "War Department."
House Republican leaders believe that such a large-scale military expenditure is necessary for making investments in the armed forces over generations. Roger, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said before voting: “For the first time in 40 years, we are seeing a budget that truly reflects the actual cost of America’s deterrence. This budget begins to reverse the damage caused by decades of insufficient investment in the U.S. military.”
The Democratic Party opposes the approval of an unprecedented defense budget, given the significant cuts to social welfare spending by Trump and the Republican Party. At the same time, they strongly oppose the ongoing war with Iran, which lacks popular support. Pentagon data shows that this war has cost the United States $37.5 billion so far.
Another clause that causes strong concerns among Democrats involves significant expansion of military technical cooperation between the United States and Israel. Many Americans are calling for a reduction in support for Israel, due to the heavy casualties of Palestinian civilians caused by the Israeli military actions in Gaza.
For a long time, both parties have viewed the National Defense Authorization Act as a legislation that must be passed. It is also one of the few major bills that face significant challenges in Congress, having been signed into law for 65 consecutive years. However, this year, the bill has faced many obstacles. There are significant differences between the two congressional parties regarding issues such as the enormous military budgets, the war with Iran, aid to Israel and Ukraine, and the treatment of transgender soldiers.
According to past procedures, the U.S. Senate will also promote the passage of a version of the National Defense Authorization Act. Subsequently, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Armed Services Committee will negotiate and reach a compromise on a unified text, which will then be submitted to both the Senate and the House of Representatives for voting. Finally, it will be submitted to the President for signature.
