House Passes $900B+ National Defense Authorization Act for 2026, Boosting Military Pay and Curbing Chinese Tech
Also known as: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
Legislative Progress
231–196
Impact Analysis
State Impacts
Key Points
- This huge annual defense bill sets the rules and spending plans for the military in 2026, including what weapons get bought and how the Pentagon manages big programs.
- It pushes the Pentagon to buy faster and smarter, with more multi-year contracts and more pressure to track costs, fix supply chain problems, and avoid fraud and waste.
- It adds or expands benefits for service members and families, like changes to housing pay calculations, higher family separation allowance, and new leave rules after pregnancy loss.
- It tightens rules on what the military can buy from certain foreign sources and limits some tech and services, including bans tied to China and limits on some electric vehicle preferences.
- It includes several hot-button culture and health rules, like bans on federal funds for diversity programs, no new COVID-19 vaccine mandate, and limits on gender-related medical care in military health plans.
Milestones
Received in the Senate.
The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 3838.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 231 - 196 (Roll no. 262).
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 231 - 196 (Roll no. 262).
What Happens Next
Projected impacts based on AI analysis
FY2026 military pay, benefits, and force structure changes take effect
Active duty end strengths, housing allowance changes, new leave policies, and TRICARE coverage restrictions would begin affecting service members and families at the start of the new fiscal year
Senate consideration and potential conference with House version
The Senate must pass its own version and reconcile differences with the House bill before it can become law. Key provisions like TRICARE restrictions, DEI bans, and CBDC prohibitions could change during negotiations.
New procurement and acquisition reforms begin implementation
Streamlined procurement processes, expanded multiyear contract authorities, and new domestic sourcing requirements start reshaping how the Pentagon buys weapons and equipment, affecting defense industry workers and communities
Vote Results
19 votesOn Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 1 printed in Part A of House Report 119-130 to require all HHS regulations or guidance documentation to use language that is inclusive of all opioid overdose reversal drugs that have been approved by FDA, instead of referring to brand names.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Amendment is the reported version of the resolution, House Report 119-17 as reported by the Committee on House Administration.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 1 printed in House Report 119-38 to include any special administrative region or other territory within one of the covered nations referenced in the bill within the bill's definition of "foreign country of concern.".
On Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 2 printed in House Report 119-38 to amend the definition of 'foreign entity of concern' to include Chinese military companies identified on the list required by section 1260H of the FY 2021 NDAA (colloquially referred to as the "Section 1260H list").
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Amendment sought to amend section 117 to streamline foreign gift and contract reporting, align reporting with other federal research security compliance requirements, establish sanctions for noncompliance and require the Secretary of Education to conduct negotiated rulemaking to receive stakeholder feedback.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Amendment sought to amend the threshold value at which gifts must be reported from $50,000 to $1.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 1 printed in House Report 119-1 to strike carbon sequestration and ecosystem services prioritization from section 301 biochar demonstration projects.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 2 printed in House Report 119-1 to allow the U.S. Forest Service to approve the removal of hazardous trees near power lines on federal land without requiring a timber sale, easing a serious threat that has in the past been a major cause of destructive wildfires.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part B of House Report 119-2 to delay the enactment of this bill until the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General each certify that the bill will lead to a reduction in overdose deaths.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Amendment sought to amend the definition of "Foreign Country Of Concern".
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Amendment sought to amend the definition of "Investment of Concern" to include any entity that the Secretary of State determines consistently, knowingly, and directly facilitates and enables state violence and repression, war and occupation, or severe violations of international law and human rights.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Rules Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 377, in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Homeland Security, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119-2, is considered adopted.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Rules Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 377, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources is considered adopted.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Rules Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 405, the respective amendments in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in each bill is considered adopted.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Rules Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 405, the respective amendments in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in each such bill is considered as adopted.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
Rules Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 405, the respective amendments in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in each such bill is considered as adopted.
On Agreeing to the Amendment
An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part A of House Report 119-130 to require the Office of the National Coordinator to convene a public roundtable to examine how the expanded use of electronic health records among mental health and substance use service providers can improve outcomes for patients in mental health and substance use disorder settings and how best to increase Electronic Health Record adoption among such providers.
On Motion to Recommit
On Passage
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Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)Data Sources
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