House Passes 2027 NDAA, Senate Next
The House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on July 22, 2026. The 216-212 vote authorizes $1.15 trillion for national security programs. The legislation moves to the Senate, where previous attempts to advance a defense bill stalled.
House Passes 2027 NDAA
The 2027 NDAA, as passed by the House, includes a proposed pay increase of 5% to 7% for military service members.
- E-5 and below: 7% military pay increase
- E-6 through O-3: 6% pay increase
- O-4 and above: 5% increase
Learn more about the proposed 2027 military pay raise as envisioned by both the House and Senate.
2027 NDAA Provisions
The House 2027 NDAA bars the Navy from using foreign shipyards to construct battle force vessels. Lawmakers included budget money for missile defense and so-called low-cost munitions. The House version of the NDAA allows qualifying non-regular Gaurd/Reserve service to count toward retirement.
The legislation also includes non-defense amendments, such as voter identification requirements and restrictions on medical procedures within military healthcare programs, including restrictions on TRICARE coverage for gender-affirming care and limits on military travel allowances for reproductive healthcare.
The legislation also prohibits TRICARE from covering or providing gender-related medical treatments for service members, retirees, and dependents. An amendment sponsored by Representative Nancy Mace prohibits TRICARE from covering mental health counseling and interventions for transgender youth.
The 2027 NDAA as passed by the House repeals a Department of Defense policy that reimburses travel expenses for service members who travel out of state to obtain abortion care or reproductive healthcare procedures not available at their station. But will these survive the final NDAA?
An Extra $60 Billion for the DoD
House lawmakers also passed a separate budget reconciliation package authorizing $60 billion for the Department of Defense. Some lawmakers opposed the main defense bill due to the attached policy riders and spending levels, and non-defense spending or policies are likely to be stripped from the final version of the 2027 NDAA.
Senate leadership has not set a timeline to bring the measure to the Senate floor.
Senate Version MIA?
Why has the Senate not yet passed its own defense authorization bill at press time? Senate Democrats blocked a procedural vote on their $1.14 trillion version due to concerns over defense spending increases, policy riders, and war policy regarding Iran.
After the Senate debates and passes its version, House and Senate lawmakers will meet to resolve differences between the two competing texts. Once both chambers approve the final negotiated text, the legislation goes to the president for signature. This is an ongoing story.
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About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
