House Passes Major Military Spending Bill By Wide Margin

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill providing roughly $839 billion for the Department of Defense, sending the measure to the Senate as lawmakers race toward a late-January funding deadline.

The legislation, part of a broader appropriations package, passed by a wide bipartisan margin and includes approximately $8.4 billion more than the Pentagon’s original budget request. The increase reflects congressional priorities focused on military readiness, modernization, and long-term strategic competition. If enacted, the bill would fund defense operations and procurement through the end of September, when the current fiscal year concludes.

“Lawmakers voted 341-88 on a largely bipartisan basis to push forward the defense budget, which was coupled with FY26 spending for several other departments,” Breaking Defense reported.

The measure directs increased funding across a wide range of defense priorities, restoring or expanding programs that lawmakers argued were underfunded in the administration’s initial proposal.

Among the key provisions:

• Shipbuilding and Navy modernization: The bill funds additional submarines and surface vessels beyond the request, underscoring congressional concern over fleet readiness and the growing maritime challenge posed by China.

• Air Force and space programs: Lawmakers boosted funding for next-generation aircraft, space-based missile warning systems, and classified national security space initiatives.

• Missile defense: The legislation expands investment in homeland and theater missile defense, including interceptor production and radar modernization.

• Research and development: Additional resources are allocated for hypersonic weapons, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and cyber warfare capabilities.

• Service member compensation: The bill supports a pay raise for uniformed personnel and expands housing and quality-of-life programs for military families.

• Munitions and stockpiles: Funding increases target precision-guided munitions, artillery shells, and missile production to replenish inventories strained by overseas operations and allied support.

House lawmakers advanced the defense bill as part of a larger set of spending measures designed to keep the federal government funded and avoid a partial shutdown when temporary funding expires. The Senate, set to return next week, must pass the legislation and send it to President Donald J. Trump before the Jan. 30 deadline to prevent disruptions in federal operations.

House leaders emphasized the bipartisan consensus around strong national defense, though some members cautioned that funding levels may still fall short of what military leaders say is required to meet escalating global threats. Appropriators indicated they remain open to further adjustments as the bill moves through the Senate.

In related news, the Internal Revenue Service confirmed this week that the one-time $1,776 “Warrior Dividend” paid to more than 1.5 million U.S. service members in December 2025 will not be subject to federal income tax.

In a joint statement, the IRS and Treasury Department said the payment qualifies as a “qualified military benefit” under federal tax law, meaning recipients do not need to report it as taxable income.

The Warrior Dividend was announced by President Trump on Dec. 17, 2025, and distributed ahead of Christmas. The payment commemorated the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. military and was intended as a direct show of support for America’s armed forces. Pentagon officials described it as a supplemental housing allowance funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted in 2025.

Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the tax-free treatment “places $1,776 directly in the hands of our warfighters and their families,” while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasized that the payment reflects the nation’s enduring commitment to those who serve.