The United States House Armed Services Committee has approved the fiscal year 2027 National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA), a sweeping defence policy bill worth nearly $1.15 trillion, after a lengthy 14-hour session that saw lawmakers consider hundreds of proposed amendments.
The legislation was passed late Thursday by a vote of 44 to 12 and will now move to the full House of Representatives for further consideration.
Most Republicans on the committee supported the measure, while nearly half of the Democratic members also voted in favour, reflecting a more divided position among Democrats than is usually seen on the traditionally bipartisan panel.
Before the final vote, lawmakers paid tribute to committee chairman Rep. Mike Rogers, who is expected to oversee his last NDAA markup as committee leader unless granted a waiver. Members gave him a standing ovation in recognition of his service.
One of the key amendments approved during the session would require the Pentagon to explain to Congress within five days whenever a senior military officer is fired or removed from office. The proposal, introduced by Rep. Pat Ryan, gained bipartisan backing following concerns over the dismissal of several high-ranking officers since Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth assumed office.
Lawmakers also approved another amendment compelling the Defence Department to provide Congress with findings from the investigation into the March 1 attack on Port Shuaiba in Kuwait, which claimed the lives of six American service members.
In one of the most debated decisions, committee members voted in favour of a proposal from Rep. Ronny Jackson to officially rename the Department of Defence as the Department of War, a title that has recently been embraced by some members of the Trump administration. The amendment passed by a narrow margin of 29-27.
The committee also backed a proposal from Rep. Marilyn Strickland aimed at reversing recent changes to military base names that had restored references associated with Confederate-era figures.
Another significant amendment adopted was the bipartisan “right-to-repair” measure, which would require defence contractors to provide the military with access to necessary data and parts for maintaining and repairing equipment. Supporters argued the change would reduce bureaucratic delays and improve military readiness, while opponents warned it could weaken protections for private-sector intellectual property.
Several Democratic efforts to reduce defence spending, cut funding for new warship programmes, limit military action against Iran and restrict the transfer of cluster munitions were rejected by the Republican-controlled committee.
A proposal to remove nearly $2 billion allocated for new Trump-class battleships also failed despite criticism from some lawmakers who described the vessels as costly and vulnerable.
The committee further rejected multiple amendments designed to strengthen editorial independence for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes and preserve media access within the Pentagon.
Supporters of those measures argued that recent restrictions imposed by the Defence Department threaten press freedom and independent journalism within the military. However, opponents maintained that the Pentagon’s policies are necessary to safeguard sensitive information and ensure reporting aligns with military values.
The approved NDAA now advances to the House floor, where lawmakers are expected to continue debating several of the contentious issues raised during the committee proceedings.
