US House passes FY2027 NDAA and $60B Pentagon reconciliation package

July 22 — The House of Representatives passed its version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and a new reconciliation package containing $60 billion for the Pentagon, though both pieces of legislation face an uncertain future in the Senate.

Both bills passed largely along party lines. The NDAA vote was 216–212, and the budget resolution vote was 216–214.

2027 NDAA

The NDAA, traditionally considered must-pass legislation, sets policy, directs reports, and recommends spending levels for the Pentagon each year. The actual budget is established through a separate appropriations bill.

The House's 2027 version includes hundreds of provisions, many targeting the Air Force and Space Force, including:

• Authorization for multiyear procurement contracts for the F-35 and F-15EX fighter jets
• A requirement for the Pentagon to submit a plan addressing Government Accountability Office recommendations from multiple reports on the F-35, some dating back to 2014
• Elimination of two Space Force acquisition organizations: the Space Development Agency and the Space Rapid Capabilities Office
• Authorization for four new MH-139 helicopters and a requirement for the Air Force to brief lawmakers on why it abandoned plans for the MH-139 to fly VIP transport missions around Washington, D.C.
• A report on the Air Force's plan to arm its tanker aircraft with sensors, processors, and weapons for self-defense
• A prohibition on retiring any E-3 AWACS aircraft through 2027
• Expanded authorities to repair and maintain equipment, also known as "right to repair"

Amendments on Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Additional amendments adopted on the House floor July 21, before the final vote, address the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program:

• One amendment requires the Air Force, in coordination with U.S. Transportation Command, to provide Congress with a strategy on "storage, mobility, maintenance, cost, and deployment requirements" for the program.
• Another amendment requires a report on the Air Force's future plans for advanced sensor and electronic warfare systems on CCAs. The first iterations of the CCA that the service has unveiled are weapons-carrying platforms.

Senate Outlook

With the House having passed its version, the Senate must still pass its own. A procedural vote in that chamber failed to reach the necessary 60 votes earlier this month, as Democrats pushed back over the war with Iran and the scale of the defense budget increase relative to nondefense spending.

At a July 21 press conference, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) offered no indication of when he might bring the NDAA up for another vote.

Reconciliation 3.0

The budget resolution, which passed the House by just two votes, is the third reconciliation package Republicans have pursued this Congress:

• First package (July 2025): $150 billion for defense
• Second package (June 2026): $70 billion for immigration agencies
• Third package (current): $95 billion, the bulk of which is intended for the military

The exact details of how the $60 billion will be allocated remain unclear, as the House Armed Services Committee must still craft a spending plan.

Purpose and Funding Gap

Republican lawmakers have portrayed the reconciliation effort as a way to help cover the costs of the war with Iran and replenish munitions stockpiles used in the conflict. The White House submitted a supplemental funding request for those costs and other programs, including $67.1 billion for the Pentagon—leaving a $7.1 billion gap.

At the same time, the Pentagon is still waiting to see if Congress will fulfill its 2027 budget request for $350 billion in reconciliation funding. House lawmakers have reportedly suggested they may pursue a fourth reconciliation package after the 2026 midterm elections, but the third package's fate remains far from clear.

Senate Divisions

At the July 21 press conference, Thune noted that Senate Republicans do not all agree on the $60 billion in reconciliation. Some want more money, while others are upset that there are no offsetting cuts elsewhere. Thune said he preferred to negotiate with Democrats on the supplemental funding request.

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