US military budget bill approved; concerns over Trump and the Pentagon’s lack of accountability.
The House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday night (local time) by a bipartisan vote of 312 to 112.
Both Democrats and Republicans voted overwhelmingly to pass the measure, which sets the U.S. military policy agenda and authorizes nearly $900 billion in funding for military programs, including a 3.8 percent pay increase for military personnel.
The Trump administration has been pushing for the bill to pass. The bill includes a provision that would limit travel funding for Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett for fiscal year 2026 until he provides Congress with video of military raids on suspected drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean.
The bill, which authorizes $900 billion in military programs, including increases in soldier pay and a review of how the Department of War buys weapons, was passed at a time when tensions are rising between the Republican Congress and the Trump administration over the management of the military.
Details of the US military budget bill
The US National Defense Authorization Act usually enjoys bipartisan support, and the White House has declared its “strong support” for the law as necessary, saying it is consistent with Trump’s national security agenda.
However, the more than 3,000-page bill contains several measures that challenge the Department of War, including a request for more information about boat attacks in the Caribbean and support for European allies such as Ukraine, the Associated Press reported.
Overall, the broad bill provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for many military personnel, as well as improvements to housing and facilities on military bases.
The bill also offers a compromise between political parties. It cuts climate change and diversification programs in line with Trump’s agenda, while increasing congressional oversight of the Pentagon and repealing several long-standing war authorizations.
But hard-line conservatives have said they are unhappy that the bill does not significantly reduce America’s foreign commitments.
“We need a ready, capable, and lethal warfighting force because the threats to our nation, particularly those from China, are more complex and challenging than at any time in 40 years,” Representative Mike Rogers, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters.
Lawmakers who oversee the military say the bill would change how the Pentagon buys weapons and speed up the pace after years of delays by the defense industry.
It is also a top priority for the Trump administration’s Secretary of Defense. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, called the bill “the most ambitious effort to reform the procurement system.”
Smith lamented, however, that the bill does not go as far as Democrats would like in restricting the Trump administration, but called it “a step in the right direction toward reasserting the authority of Congress.”
“My biggest concern is that the Pentagon and President Trump are effectively not accountable to Congress, not to the law,” he said.
The House bill now heads to the Senate, where Senate leaders are trying to pass it before the end-of-year recess.
Several senators from both parties have criticized the bill for not sufficiently restricting military flights over Washington.
They have been calling for reforms after a mid-air collision this year between a military helicopter and a passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Airport that killed all 67 people on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board and victims’ families also oppose this part of the bill, saying the changes could make the airspace more dangerous.
Boat attack videos and congressional oversight
Lawmakers also added a provision that would cut Trump’s travel budget by a quarter until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited video of attacks on alleged drug boats near Venezuela, according to US media reports.
Lawmakers are strengthening their oversight role after the September 2 attack, in which the US military shot two survivors of a partially destroyed boat.
The bill also requires the US Secretary of Defense to allow Congress to review orders for the strikes.
Reaffirming Commitments to Europe, South Korea
Trump’s continued support for Ukraine and other allies in Eastern Europe has been in doubt over the past year, but lawmakers have included several provisions to maintain U.S. support in the face of Russian aggression in the region, the Associated Press reports.
The military bill would require the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment in Europe unless it is determined, in consultation with NATO allies, that such a withdrawal is in the U.S. interest.
About 80,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops are usually stationed in Europe. The bill would also allocate $400 million over each of the next two years to produce weapons for Ukraine.
In addition, there is a provision to maintain the presence of U.S. troops in South Korea, setting the minimum number required at 28,500.
Climate and Diversity Budget Cuts
The House Armed Services Committee announced that the bill would cut $1.6 billion in climate-related spending.
U.S. military assessments have long shown that climate change is a threat to national security.