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Congress Unveils $901 Billion Defense Bill With China Investment Curbs and Iraq AUMF Repeals

House leaders plan a vote this week, with programs still needing separate appropriations.

Overview

  • Negotiators released the final FY26 NDAA text totaling roughly $901 billion, about $8 billion above the administration’s request, and touting major acquisition reforms.
  • The bill creates an outbound investment screening regime for deals involving high‑risk technologies in China and expands bans on Chinese‑made tech across Pentagon supply chains.
  • It repeals the 1991 and 2002 Iraq Authorizations for Use of Military Force, reflecting a congressional push to narrow standing war authorities.
  • The package authorizes about a 4% pay raise for service members and reauthorizes the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative at $400 million per year for FY2026 and FY2027, while omitting IVF coverage expansion.
  • It restores a requirement for the FBI to notify Congress if it opens investigations into federal candidates and bars sustained cuts of U.S. troops in Europe below 76,000 without certifications to Congress.