US House passes record $1.15 trillion defense bill

The US House of Representatives narrowly passed a defense policy bill Wednesday that authorizes a record $1.15 trillion in Pentagon funding, as the divisive Iran war continues. The 2027 National Defense Authorization Act passed 216-212, a sign of deepening polarization under President Donald Trump despite the bill's traditional bipartisan support.

What is the National Defense Authorization Act?

The National Defense Authorization Act is an annual bill that sets Pentagon policy and funding levels. The 2027 version authorizes $1.15 trillion in defense spending, about $250 billion more than the 2026 NDAA. It includes a 5-7 percent pay raise for service members and funds programs such as the Golden Dome missile defense system.

The bill must still clear the Senate before it becomes law. House Speaker Mike Johnson said the legislation gives service members an overdue pay raise while strengthening nuclear deterrence and missile defense, including construction of Golden Dome. Trump has pushed to build Golden Dome to shield the US mainland, modeling it on Israel's Iron Dome system.

Why did the defense bill divide the House?

The House Armed Services Committee's Republican members said in a statement that the bill would help rebuild "depleted stockpiles," pointing to the large volume of projectiles the United States has expended in its war against Iran. That framing drew sharp pushback from Democrats, who tied the funding directly to the ongoing conflict.

Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler said he could not vote to hand Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "$1.15 TRILLION for their out-of-control military spending and irresponsible actions." He called the NDAA "a costly, bad bill that funds an illegal war and undermines our democracy."

What else is in the defense bill?

Trump's "SAVE America Act," which would impose new nationwide voting restrictions, was folded into the NDAA through a procedural maneuver. Democrats objected to the move, and it has further complicated the bill's path through the Senate.

A separate section calling for increased cooperation between US and Israeli armed forces has also stirred controversy in recent weeks. Combined with the SAVE America Act provision, it leaves the bill facing a harder fight in the upper chamber than in past years.