House passes defense bill expanding military ties with Israel
The 2027 NDAA cleared the House 216-212 and now heads to a Senate fight over cost, Iran war powers and Israel provisions.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
The United States House of Representatives narrowly passed the 2027 National Defence Authorisation Act on Wednesday, advancing a military package that would expand technology cooperation with Israel. Al Jazeera, Reuters and The Associated Press reported that the vote sets up a difficult Senate fight over military spending, the war on Iran and provisions tying the US more closely to Israel’s defense sector.
The measure passed 216 to 212, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP. The vote mostly followed party lines, with six Democrats supporting the bill and seven Republicans voting against it.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who has criticised the White House over the war on Iran, opposed the measure because of its Israel language. In a social media post cited by Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP, Massie said the bill “tragically merges our military technology and supply chains with Israel’s” and called Section 219 “a betrayal of our sovereignty.”
The legislation reflects President Donald Trump’s request for a sharp increase in US military spending, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP. Trump is seeking to raise the military budget from $900bn last year to $1.5 trillion as the United States fights a war on Iran that the outlet described as widely unpopular.
Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP reported that the US and Israel launched the war on Iran in late February. The conflict has become a central point in the debate over the NDAA, with critics in Congress objecting to both the cost and the scope of US military involvement.
The Israel provisions have drawn scrutiny because they would broaden military technology collaboration between Washington and Israel, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP. The report said the debate comes as more voters support ending US military assistance to Israel.
The bill’s path in the Senate remains uncertain. Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP reported that Democrats are likely to object to the package’s cost while the White House seeks cuts affecting access to social programmes.
Senate Democrats blocked debate on the NDAA last week, according to the report. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill a “permission slip” for the government’s war on Iran.
The NDAA is usually treated in Congress as legislation that must pass each year, but Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP reported that this version includes several disputed measures beyond the core military budget. Those include aid for Ukraine and the SAVE America Act, a Trump-backed proposal that would impose new voting restrictions.
Trump has promoted the voting measure as a response to what he has falsely described as widespread fraud, according to Al Jazeera, Reuters and AP. Its inclusion adds another obstacle for the Senate as lawmakers decide whether to take up the House-passed package or demand changes.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.