Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026
- Bill Number
- S. 2572
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Economics and Public Finance
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-31: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 137.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-12T07:23:22Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This legislation, S. 2572 (Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026), provides funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026). It supports military personnel compensation, operations, equipment procurement, research and development, and other defense-related activities to maintain national security, readiness, and international commitments. The bill totals approximately $850 billion in discretionary funding, focusing on core defense priorities while imposing restrictions on spending.
Key Provisions
The bill is structured into eight titles, allocating funds across DoD components. Key allocations and programs include:
- Title I: Military Personnel ($170.5 billion total)
- Funds pay, allowances, travel, and retirement contributions for active-duty, reserve, and National Guard members across Army ($54.6B), Navy ($40.5B), Marine Corps ($17.0B), Air Force ($38.8B), and Space Force ($1.5B).
- Reserve and National Guard personnel: $28.0 billion combined for training, drills, and related expenses.
- Title II: Operation and Maintenance ($232.9 billion total)
- Covers day-to-day operations, training, facility maintenance, and emergencies for Army ($59.3B), Navy/Marine Corps ($88.5B), Air Force ($64.9B), Space Force ($5.9B), and defense-wide activities ($56.9B).
- Special funds: $342.5 million for Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (to support foreign forces against ISIS affiliates, with vetting requirements); $100.8 million for humanitarian/disaster aid; $282.8 million for Cooperative Threat Reduction (nonproliferation programs); environmental restoration ($1.2 billion across branches for hazardous waste cleanup).
- Title III: Procurement ($142.1 billion total)
- Funds acquisition of aircraft, missiles, ships, vehicles, ammunition, and other equipment.
- Highlights: $29.3 billion for Navy shipbuilding (e.g., $5.4B for Columbia-class submarines, $1.6B for aircraft carriers); $20.5 billion for Air Force aircraft; $3.5 billion for Space Force systems.
- Includes $350 million for National Guard/Reserve equipment and $256.9 million under the Defense Production Act for critical supplies.
- Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) ($140.5 billion total)
- Supports innovation in weapons, technology, and testing across branches (e.g., $49.3B for Air Force, $33.1B defense-wide).
- $321.1 million for independent operational testing.
- Title V: Revolving and Management Funds ($2.2 billion)
- Funds DoD working capital (e.g., for logistics and supply management) and the National Defense Stockpile ($5.7 million for strategic materials).
- Title VI: Other DoD Programs ($43.2 billion)
- Defense Health Program ($41.4B for medical care, including TRICARE contracts); chemical munitions destruction ($213.3M); drug interdiction ($1.0B); Inspector General operations ($502.6M).
- Title VII: Related Agencies ($1.1 billion)
- Central Intelligence Agency retirement fund ($514.0M) and Intelligence Community Management ($629.1M).
- Title VIII: General Provisions (Sections 8001–8124)
- Authorizes fund transfers (up to $6.0B with congressional notification); prohibits certain uses (e.g., no funds for propaganda, foreign shipbuilding, or Guantanamo detainee transfers).
- Special initiatives: $800.0M for Ukraine Security Assistance (training, equipment); $1.5B for Indo-Pacific Security (Taiwan aid); $500.0M for Israeli missile defense; $1.3B for global security cooperation.
- Rescissions: Cancels $2.5 billion from prior-year unobligated funds (e.g., procurement, RDT&E).
- Reductions: $850.0M for excess working capital cash balances; $250.0M for lower fuel costs.
- Reporting requirements: Quarterly updates on special funds; baselines for reprogramming.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- New Funding Levels: Establishes FY2026 appropriations, increasing overall DoD budget by about 4-5% from FY2025 estimates, with emphasis on shipbuilding (+10% for submarines) and RDT&E (+6% for emerging tech like AI/cyber).
- Rescissions and Adjustments: Rescinds $2.5B from FY2024-2025 balances, reflecting efficiency measures; reduces Title II by $1.1B total for cash/fuel savings.
- Expanded International Aid: Introduces $1.5B Indo-Pacific Security Assistance Initiative (new for Taiwan procurement/training); boosts Ukraine aid to $800.0M (up from prior years); $192.3M for global security partnerships under NDAA Section 1207.
- Restrictions and Waivers: Prohibits alternative F-35 engines (Sec. 8117); bans funding for Wuhan Institute/EcoHealth Alliance in China (Secs. 8111-8112); allows CHIPS Act reallocations for semiconductors (Sec. 8109).
- Procurement Rules: Mandates U.S. manufacturing for specific components (e.g., fleet oilers, frigates; Secs. 8091-8092); extends transfer authorities for inflation adjustments in shipbuilding (up to $40.0M; Sec. 8074).
No major statutory overhauls, but provisions codify policy priorities like Buy American requirements and anti-corruption vetting for aid.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Bolsters DoD readiness with sustained funding for operations (e.g., maintenance up 3%), procurement (e.g., 10 new ships), and health care (serving 9.6M beneficiaries). Enables rapid response via $650.0M contingency authority (Sec. 8118). Related agencies like CIA gain stable retirement funding.
- Citizens: Supports 1.3M active-duty personnel and families through pay/benefits; funds veteran-integrated health facilities (e.g., $165.0M transfer). Taxpayer impact: Adds to $34T national debt but offsets via rescissions/savings.
- International Relations: Strengthens alliances via $4.6B in security cooperation (e.g., Ukraine/Taiwan aid counters Russia/China); $500.0M for Israel enhances Middle East stability. Counter-ISIS/Lebanon funds ($50.0M) promote counterterrorism partnerships, but vetting ensures human rights compliance. Potential for strained relations if waivers (e.g., for foreign procurement) are invoked.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- DoD and Military Branches: Primary beneficiaries for operations, procurement, and personnel (e.g., Army/Navy receive 60% of funds).
- Service Members and Families: 2.1M total (active/reserve/Guard) gain from pay raises (implied via inflation adjustments) and health programs.
- Defense Contractors/Industry: $142.1B procurement boosts firms like Lockheed Martin (aircraft), Huntington Ingalls (ships); small businesses/Indian tribes get set-asides (e.g., $24.6M incentives).
- Congress and Oversight Bodies: Enhanced reporting/transfer rules increase accountability; Inspector General ($502.6M) monitors spending.
- Foreign Partners: Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel, and anti-ISIS forces receive aid; tribes/Native Hawaiians benefit from housing/equipment transfers.
- Taxpayers and Nonprofits: Efficiency measures (rescissions) reduce waste; $24.0M grant to United Service Organizations aids morale programs.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal/Constitutional: Upholds Congress's Article I power to appropriate funds; includes War Powers compliance (Sec. 8103) and anti-torture mandates (Sec. 8098) per UN Convention. Prohibitions on Guantanamo transfers (Secs. 8113-8116) reinforce NDAA restrictions, avoiding habeas corpus challenges. Buy American rules (Secs. 8030-8033) enforce trade laws without violating WTO agreements via waivers.
- Political: Reflects bipartisan priorities (e.g., China/Russia deterrence) amid debates on spending (total exceeds FY2025 by $30B+). Rescissions signal fiscal restraint; aid to Ukraine/Taiwan may polarize on isolationism vs. engagement. No major controversies, but classified annex (not public) could spark oversight disputes. Implementation requires presidential signature and potential continuing resolutions if delayed.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-31: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 137.
- 2025-07-31: Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator McConnell. With written report No. 119-52.
- 2025-07-31: Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator McConnell. With written report No. 119-52.
- 2025-07-31: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2025-07-31 — PDF (134 pages)