Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 137.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill makes appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. It provides funding for military personnel across all branches, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. The legislation covers operation and maintenance, procurement, research, development, and environmental restoration. It includes specific funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and the Indo-Pacific Security Assistance Initiative. Additionally, the bill outlines various provisions regarding drug interdiction, humanitarian aid, and domestic manufacturing requirements.
Yes· 3 of 21
- Scored +7
Would Native Americans be better off under this?
The bill provides housing assistance and environmental mitigation specifically for recognized Indian tribes.
- Scored +6
Does this send more money or help to other countries?
The bill allocates significant funds for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and assistance to Lebanon.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill supports small business owners through incentive payments and procurement opportunities.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Support for Military Personnel: The bill provides substantial funding for pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, and travel expenses for active duty members, cadets, and reserve components across all military branches (Title I).
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Tribal Housing Assistance: The Secretary of the Air Force may convey relocatable military housing units at no cost to recognized Indian tribes in several states, including Nevada, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Montana, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington (Sec. 8021).
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Environmental Protection for Tribal Lands: At least $12,000,000 is made available to mitigate environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from Department of Defense activities (Sec. 8022).
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Support for Indigenous Small Businesses: The bill provides funds for incentive payments to prime contractors or subcontractors that are small businesses owned and controlled by individuals defined under the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (Sec. 8020).
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Humanitarian and Civic Aid: Funding is provided for overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid programs (Title II).
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Community Support through the USO: The bill includes an appropriation for $24,000,000 to be made as grants to the United Service Organizations (Sec. 8049).
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Counter-Drug Activities: The bill provides funding for drug interdiction, counter-drug activities, and the National Guard counter-drug program (Title II).
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Protection of Civil Rights in Employment: The bill prohibits contractors from forcing employees or independent contractors to resolve claims regarding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or sexual assault and harassment through arbitration (Section 8080).
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Enhanced Victim Support: Funds are provided for the continued implementation and expansion of the Sexual Assault Special Victims' Counsel Program (Section 8110).
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Support for Ukraine: The bill provides $800,000,000 for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to assist those resisting Russian aggression (Section 8099).
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Support for Taiwan: Funding is allocated to the Indo-Pacific Security Assistance Initiative to provide defense articles and services to Taiwan (Section 8119), as well as funds for the replacement of defense articles and services (Section 8124).
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Job Creation and Manufacturing: The bill requires that several components for ship programs, such as the TAO Fleet Oiler and FFG(X) Frigate, must be manufactured in the United States (Sections 8091 and 8092).
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Public Transparency: The Secretary of Defense is required to post grant awards on a public, searchable website (Section 8087).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restrictions on Foreign National Employment: While the bill allows for the employment of non-citizens, it places specific limitations on salary increases for direct and indirect hire foreign national employees (Sec. 8002).
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Limitations on Multiyear Contracts: There are strict requirements and potential delays for initiating multiyear contracts that exceed certain cost thresholds, which could impact the speed of procurement (Sec. 8010).
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Restrictions on Government Information: The bill mandates that any report required to be submitted to Congress can only be posted on an agency's public website if it is determined to serve the national interest and after a 45-day review period (Sec. 8081).
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Restrictions on National Intelligence Activities: The National Security Agency is prohibited from using funds for specific acquisitions under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (Section 8088).
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Limits on Financial Assistance: The bill prohibits the use of funds to pay the salary of any official who transfers administrative or budgetary resources to another agency without express Congressional authorization (Section 8089).
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Prohibitions on Corporate Contracts: The bill restricts entering into contracts or loans with any corporation that has an unpaid and unaddressed Federal tax liability (Section 8096).
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Restrictions on Foreign Research: Funds cannot be used for work performed by EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. in China unless a national security waiver is granted (Section 8112).
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Detainee Restrictions: The bill prohibits the use of funds to transfer or release certain detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (Section 8113).
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Reduction in Total Funding: The total amount of the appropriation is reduced by $250,000,000 to reflect lower anticipated fuel costs (Section 8122).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides housing assistance and environmental mitigation specifically for recognized Indian tribes. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill supports small business owners through incentive payments and procurement opportunities. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill allows for the conveyance of military housing units to Indian tribes at no cost. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill supports tribal lands and military bases that are often located in rural areas. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill maintains funding for the military retirement system and provides for medical facility demonstration funds. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill funds training, education, and career opportunities within the various military branches. Would women be better off under this? — The bill includes provisions to protect employees from mandatory arbitration in sexual harassment cases.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this send more money or help to other countries? — The bill allocates significant funds for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and assistance to Lebanon. Does this strengthen ties with allied countries? — The bill provides significant financial assistance and security cooperation to Ukraine, Taiwan, and the Federated states of Micronesia. Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill funds the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund and facilitates transfers to support medical facility demonstration funds. Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill funds various software and digital technology pilot programs including defensive cyber prototypes.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill funds massive defense procurement and manufacturing programs that support industrial jobs. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill provides incentive payments for specific small businesses and includes requirements for defense contracts to follow specific social standards.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill supports the use of nonprofit agencies that serve individuals with disabilities for certain Department of Defense functions. Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill prohibits federal contractors from requiring employees to resolve sexual assault or harassment claims through mandatory arbitration.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill allocates millions of dollars specifically for mitigating environmental impacts on Indian lands caused by Department of Defense activities. Does this invest in rural communities? — The bill provides reimbursement for land acquisition costs for defense sites in Yap, Micronesia.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill funds the Defense Health Program to support medical services for service members and their families. Does this help veterans get medical care? — The bill authorizes funds for the operation of the integrated Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center and medical facility demonstration funds.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill provides extensive funding for research, development, test, and evaluation across all military branches.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires various agencies to post grant awards and other required reports on public websites.
- 7/31/2025
- Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator McConnell. With written report No. 119-52.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 137.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.