The House passed a $1.15bn military spending package Wednesday by a 216 to 212 vote, advancing the 2027 National Defence Authorization Act that expands military technology cooperation with Israel.
The bill passed largely along party lines, with six Democrats voting in favor and seven Republicans opposing it. Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who has clashed with the White House and been a vocal critic of the war on Iran, said in a social media post, "Final vote total for the NDAA today which tragically merges our military technology and supply chains with Israel’s," and added, "Let's hope this version fails in the Senate because Section 219 is a betrayal of our sovereignty."
The 2027 National Defence Authorization Act reflects President Donald Trump's request to boost military spending from $900bn last year to $1.5 trillion.
The 2027 NDAA has attracted scrutiny for a measure that would expand military technological cooperation with Israel, despite growing support among voters for ending military assistance to Israel.
Senate Democrats blocked debate on the NDAA in a vote last week, and Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called it a "permission slip" for the government's war on Iran; Democrats are likely to object to the bill's high cost as the White House moves to slash access to social programmes.
The package also includes aid for Ukraine and the SAVE America Act, a key priority of the president that would impose new restrictions on voting to counter what Trump has falsely portrayed as widespread fraud.