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Stefanik Threatens to Sink NDAA, Accuses Speaker Johnson of Blocking FBI-Notification Provision

Rep. Elise Stefanik says she will vote against the National Defense Authorization Act unless language forcing the FBI to notify Congress when it opens counterintelligence probes into federal candidates is restored. She accused Speaker Mike Johnson of blocking the provision; Johnson denied knowledge and said committee leaders had not agreed to include it. Stefanik contends House Intelligence has jurisdiction and urged Johnson to resolve the issue. Her opposition could imperil the NDAA in a narrowly divided House.

12:50 AM, 12/03/2025Politics
Stefanik Threatens to Sink NDAA, Accuses Speaker Johnson of Blocking FBI-Notification Provision

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) publicly challenged House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday, accusing him of blocking a measure that would require the FBI to notify Congress when it opens counterintelligence investigations into candidates for federal office. She said she will vote against the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) unless the provision is reinstated.

Stefanik, a member of the Republican leadership team, insisted the language had been approved by committee and must be restored before the bill reaches the House floor. "Unless this provision is added back into the bill to prevent illegal political weaponization of the intelligence community in our elections, I am a HARD NO," she wrote on social media.

At the center of the dispute is which committee has jurisdiction and whether bipartisan committee leaders agreed to include the requirement in the defense bill. Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, denied blocking the provision and said he was not aware of the issue.

"I don't exactly know why Elise won't just call me. I texted her yesterday," Johnson told reporters. He added that he had messaged Stefanik, "What are you talking about? This hasn't even made it to my level," and said the House and Senate Judiciary committee leaders had not agreed to add the language.

Stefanik pushed back in subsequent posts, saying she did not believe Johnson was unaware and urging him to "fix it." She also asserted that the House Intelligence Committee has jurisdiction over the proposed notification requirement.

Potential impact: Stefanik's opposition threatens to complicate passage of the NDAA in a House controlled by a narrow Republican majority. The annual defense authorization bill has historically passed with bipartisan support for more than six decades, making a high-profile internal GOP dispute notable as the chamber prepares for a possible floor vote next week.

The disagreement spotlights partisan tensions over the oversight of counterintelligence investigations and the balance between protecting national security processes and ensuring congressional notification. It remains unclear whether the dispute will be resolved before the NDAA reaches the floor.

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