The House on Wednesday passed its annual defense authorization bill after adopting partisan amendments on electric vehicles and various culture-war issues while rejecting others on offshore wind and endangered species.
Lawmakers approved the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 3838, on a 231-196 vote, advancing a highly partisan proposal for the third year in a row. The Senate could vote on its own, bipartisan version as soon as this week.
The NDAA hit the House floor with support from both sides of the aisle, containing provisions on popular priorities such as critical mineral acquisition and advanced nuclear energy. But amendments adopted Wednesday erased most of the Democratic backing.
“[Republicans] included countless partisan amendments that sought to score points in a right-wing culture war rather than focus on the real needs of our service members and their families,” said House Armed Services ranking member Adam Smith (D-Wash.)
