House appropriators unveil defense bill, boost Space Force funding

WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee on June 9 dropped its draft fiscal 2026 defense spending bill, proposing a flat $831.5 billion topline as lawmakers move forward without a full budget request from the Trump administration.

The House Appropriations Committee released the legislation just one day before the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to mark up the bill.

The defense bill maintains flat funding at the fiscal 2025 enacted level of $831.5 billion, adhering to discretionary spending limits outlined in the Office of Management and Budget’s “skinny” budget request released May 30. That bare-bones document provided only top-line numbers rather than the detailed program breakdowns typically included in presidential budget submissions. The administration expects Congress to pass a massive reconciliation bill that would add at least $113 billion to the defense top line.

Space Force sees major funding boost

In the proposed House Appropriations bill, a significant departure from the administration’s outline comes in funding for the U.S. Space Force — a substantial increase from the roughly $26 billion included in the OMB document.

House appropriators restructured Space Force funding by reducing personnel accounts while dramatically boosting procurement and research and development programs. The bill allocates $1.3 billion for military personnel, $4.8 billion for operations and maintenance, $3.7 billion for procurement, and $19.1 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation.

By contrast, the administration’s outline proposed $1.5 billion for personnel, $5.8 billion for operations and maintenance, $3.4 billion for procurement, and $15.5 billion for RDT&E.

Democrats criticize process, policy choices

Top Democrats on the subcommittee are balking at both the compressed timeline and several policy decisions embedded in the legislation.

Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) said in a statement she cannot support the bill in its current form, citing the elimination of funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, continued cuts to civilian Pentagon positions started by the Department of Government Efficiency, and reductions to military health programs.