The House passed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act by a 312–112 vote and advanced the bill to the Senate after a narrow procedural win. The package includes a 4% pay raise for enlisted troops, restrictions on troop withdrawals in Europe and South Korea, and new China-focused economic and diplomatic measures. Controversial elements include Ukraine aid and the absence of a CBDC ban; IVF coverage and AI preemption were dropped.
House Passes $901B Defense Bill After Republican Revolt Falters
Dec 11
The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act Dec. 10, 2025, punting the yearly legislation that governs Pentagon spending to the Senate.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved the fiscal year National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sending the $901 billion defense bill to the Senate after a final vote of 312–112. The package sets annual Pentagon spending and includes a range of national security, economic and oversight measures.
How the Votes Played Out
An earlier procedural vote to advance the measure narrowly cleared the chamber 215–211 after four House Republicans—Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.)—changed their votes from no to yes in the closing moments. All House Democrats opposed that procedural rule vote.
Key Provisions and Political Flashpoints
Hardline conservatives objected to some elements of the final package, especially the inclusion of $400 million per year in assistance to Ukraine for two years and the omission of language that would prohibit the Federal Reserve from developing a central bank digital currency (CBDC). Opponents argued a CBDC ban is necessary to protect privacy and civil liberties by preventing a government-issued digital dollar from enabling surveillance or transaction controls.
Speaker Mike Johnson is touting provisions that offer enlisted troops a 4% pay raise, eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, crack down on antisemitism, eliminate $20 billion in spending on "obsolete programs" and "Pentagon bureaucracy" and policies that crack down on China.
The bill places limits on the president’s ability to unilaterally reduce U.S. troop levels in Europe and South Korea and restricts any pause in weapons deliveries to Ukraine. It also conditions one quarter of War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget on the Pentagon providing raw footage of strikes on alleged narco-trafficking vessels near Venezuela.
Personnel, Pay and Policy Changes
Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted several measures he described as conservative priorities: a 4% pay raise for enlisted troops, the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies within the Defense Department, actions aimed at countering antisemitism, and roughly $20 billion in cuts targeting what the legislation calls "obsolete programs" and Pentagon bureaucracy. The bill also advances policies intended to strengthen the U.S. posture on China.
Domestic Oversight and FBI Disclosure
In a non-defense provision backed by Republican privacy advocates, including House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the NDAA would require the FBI to disclose when the bureau is investigating presidential and other federal candidates—an element intended to increase transparency during election cycles.
The bill would also withhold one quarter of War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until the Pentagon hands over raw footage of the strikes on alleged narco-trafficking boats near Venezuela.
China-Focused Economic and Diplomatic Measures
The NDAA creates an outbound investment screening system that requires U.S. companies and investors to notify the Treasury Department before backing certain high-risk technologies in China or other "countries of concern." Treasury would have authority to block transactions or require expanded reporting to Congress.
Supply-chain and contracting restrictions would bar the Pentagon from working with certain Chinese genetic-sequencing and biotech firms and from purchasing select goods—such as advanced batteries, photovoltaic components, computer displays, and critical minerals—sourced from foreign entities of concern.
Diplomatically, the bill directs the State Department to establish Regional China Officers at U.S. posts worldwide to monitor Chinese commercial, technological and infrastructure activities, including Beijing’s Belt and Road projects, and requires biennial reports comparing China’s diplomatic footprint with that of the United States.
Other Notable Items
The final NDAA does not include coverage for in vitro fertilization (IVF) services for military families, nor language that would preempt states from regulating artificial intelligence—two provisions that were discussed but ultimately left out. The package also repeals two long-dormant war authorizations tied to earlier phases of U.S. involvement in Iraq (1992 and 2002) while preserving the primary post-9/11 counterterrorism authority, the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF).
Next Steps
House and Senate negotiators already combined their separate versions into a single negotiated text, so the bill is expected to move through the Senate without major changes before being sent to President Donald Trump for signature.
