The House Appropriations Committee on Monday released Republicans’ proposed defense spending bill for 2026, moving ahead in the absence of a detailed budget request from the White House. The bill will be considered in a defense subcommittee on Tuesday in a closed markup session.
The bill would provide $831.5 billion in spending in the 2026 fiscal year, the same as in 2025 and roughly matching the topline figure provided by the Office of Management and Budget in the president’s “skinny budget” in May.
The separate reconciliation bill under consideration in the Senate is expected to add to 2026 spending levels; the current version of that bill adds another $113 billion for defense and billions more for homeland security. The Senate may push that significantly higher.
Among other things, the appropriations bill provides $13 billion for missile defense programs, an area of development that could get a $25 billion boost through the reconciliation bill to fund President Trump’s Gold Dome program.
The annual spending bill would also provide $36.9 billion for 28 ships for the Navy, and $1.5 billion to build up the defense industrial base focused on shipbuilding. The Air Force could receive $8.5 billion to purchase 69 F-35 fighters, as well as $3.8 billion to buy the new stealth B-21 Raider.
All military personnel would receive a 3.8% increase in basic pay starting January 1, 2026. Civilian employment would be reduced by roughly 45,000.
“Together, with the significant defense funding advancing through Congress as part of the reconciliation process, the FY26 bill will lift total defense spending over $1 trillion in the next fiscal year, representing a historic commitment to strengthening and modernizing America’s national defense,” Rep. Ken Calvert, the California Republican who serves as the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said.
Democrats complained that the Trump administration failed to submit a timely and detailed budget request and warned that the Republican defense plan would jeopardize military preparedness and could open the door to unilateral cuts.
“This is not a bill meant to responsibly fund our nation’s defense and promote and protect democracy,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said in a statement. “Instead, this bill advances and acquiesces to Elon Musk’s and President Trump’s reckless purging of critical civilian personnel, their equivocation on support for Ukraine, and their relentless politicizing of our troops.”