Overview

• The committee approved the fiscal 2026 defense spending measure 26-3, setting a $852 billion topline about $20 billion above both the House plan and the White House request
• The legislation includes a 3.8% pay raise for service members and increases overall military end strength for the coming fiscal year
• Appropriators restored roughly $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $225 million for Baltic security programs
• Significant boosts target shipbuilding, munitions production of interceptors and long-range missiles, hypersonic weapons, and drone and counter-drone technologies
• The bill moves next to the Senate floor before entering House-Senate conference talks to bridge policy and funding differences