US HOUSE PASSES $1.15TN DEFENCE BILL IN NEAR-PARTY-LINE VOTE

The US House of Representatives passed a $1.15 trillion defence policy bill on Wednesday by 216 votes to 212, in a vote largely divided along party lines. The National defence Authorisation Act for fiscal 2027 received support from all but seven Republicans, whilst all but six Democrats opposed it. The measure now proceeds to the Senate for consideration.

Democrats withheld support citing multiple objections to the bill's contents and cost. The party's near-unanimous opposition followed President Trump's decision to join Israel in attacking Iran without first seeking congressional authorisation, which prompted Senate Democrats to block the bill's advancement the previous week. House Speaker Mike Johnson had also incorporated the Save America Act, a Trump-backed proposal to restrict mail-in voting and impose new identification requirements, into the legislation. According to Democratic concerns, the bill's $1.15 trillion price tag represented an unnecessary expense at a time when other government programmes faced potential cuts.

Mike Rogers, chair of the House armed services committee, argued before the vote that the bill addressed longstanding underinvestment in US military capacity. He stated the spending represented "the true cost of American deterrence" and would reverse damage caused by decades of inadequate funding. Congress typically passes the NDAA each year with bipartisan support, though this year's passage marked a departure from that historical pattern as Democrats departed Washington for a recess scheduled until the end of August.