The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) successfully passed its version of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on Tuesday night, with a bipartisan vote of 55-2. The bill includes notable provisions such as an additional $100 million for Ukraine, a $1 billion increase for Virginia-class submarine procurement, and a prohibition on further retirements of the A-10 Warthog aircraft this year.
Bipartisan Support for Ukraine Aid
Despite some partisan divides on other issues, Ukraine emerged as a point of bipartisan agreement. An amendment from Rep. Nancy Mace seeking to eliminate $300 million for the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) was defeated.
Mace argued that aid to Ukraine was a waste of money and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had acted inappropriately. However, Rep. Adam Smith countered that Mace had recently supported legislation that would significantly increase the national debt.
“If the message is sent that you can simply take territory, if you have the military muscle to do it, that is a lesson that China will take,” Smith warned.
Rep. Don Bacon noted that President Trump had decided to send additional weapons to Ukraine, signaling a shift in strategy.
The committee further demonstrated its support for Ukraine by approving an amendment from Smith that added $100 million to USAI, with funds redirected from Navy programs.
Key Weapons Programs Receive Attention
Policy and funding changes for major weapons programs saw little debate during the markup and were included in packages of noncontroversial amendments.
A significant addition was the $1 billion increase for the Virginia-class submarine program, sponsored by Rep. Joe Courtney, who stated that it would „close a funding gap for the two Virginia-class submarines in the FY26 Navy spending plan.”
An amendment prohibiting retirements of the A-10 Warthog in FY26, coupled with a similar provision in the Senate version of the NDAA, is expected to stall Air Force plans to retire the aircraft this year.
Other Approved Changes
Additional approved changes included:
- A prohibition on terminating the E-7 Wedgetail contract or halting production of E-7 prototypes. The HASC bill already authorizes $600 million to keep the program going.
- A requirement for the Pentagon to submit a report on cybersecurity requirements for the Golden Dome missile shield.
- Reports on sixth-generation fighter programs: the Air Force’s F-47 and the Navy’s F/A-XX.
- Multiple provisions concerning the F-35, including briefings on modernization initiatives and procurement plans.
- A requirement for a Navy briefing on V-22 modernization.
- Language requiring a Navy report on advanced technologies for future aircraft carriers.
- A requirement for the Army to report on modernization of reconnaissance, surveillance, targeting, and acquisition capabilities.
- A mandated briefing on the integration of artificial intelligence across the Pentagon.
Partisan Divisions on „Culture War” Issues
Republicans successfully blocked an amendment that would have prohibited funding for converting a Boeing 747 previously owned by the Qatari royal family into a new Air Force One plane. They also rejected amendments related to the Golden Dome missile shield and nuclear modernization.
Amendments concerning „Signalgate” also failed to garner sufficient support, with only Rep. Bacon, who is retiring from Congress, joining Democrats in favor of a watered-down measure.
One unexpected victory for Democrats was the approval of an amendment prohibiting FY26 funding from being used to reverse the renaming of bases previously named for Confederate military figures. However, this provision is likely to face opposition as the bill moves forward.
Next Steps
The HASC and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) will now need to reconcile their differing versions of the NDAA, including discrepancies on defense acquisition reform and the bill’s topline spending figure. The SASC leadership has proposed adding $32 billion to the authorization bill’s top line.
