Congress just dropped a hefty $900 billion defense bill that’s got more muscle than a bodybuilder on double protein shakes.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 with a decisive 312-112 vote, Reuters reported.

This sets a massive budget to boost military readiness, support our troops with a 4% pay raise, and tackle growing threats from China and Russia.

This isn’t just a spending spree—it’s a 3,000-page behemoth of a bill that’s now headed to the Senate for approval before landing on President Trump’s desk.

Troop Support and Pay Boosts

At the heart of this legislation is a well-deserved 4% pay bump for our brave service members, a nod to their sacrifices in an increasingly uncertain world.

Beyond the paycheck, the bill pushes for a return to merit-based promotions and admissions at military academies, cutting through what many see as distracting progressive policies. It’s a refreshing pivot back to prioritizing skill over social agendas.

Unfortunately, a provision for active-duty troops to access in vitro fertilization coverage got the axe—proof that not every good idea survives the political chopping block.

Cutting Bureaucracy and Woke Policies

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) didn’t mince words, praising the bill for “codifying 15 of President Trump’s executive orders, ending woke ideology at the Pentagon, securing the border, revitalizing the defense industrial base, and restoring the warrior ethos.”

That’s a bold claim, but the bill does slash $40 million in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and $1.6 million in climate-related spending, signaling a hard turn away from policies many conservatives view as unnecessary distractions. Let’s hope the focus stays on readiness, not rhetoric.

Also on the chopping block is the Pentagon’s sluggish acquisition process, with reforms aimed at getting critical tools to troops faster—because waiting a decade for gear while adversaries innovate in months is a recipe for disaster.

Tech Innovation and Global Alliances

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) hit the nail on the head, saying the goal is to fix “the Pentagon’s broken, bureaucratic acquisition process so that our troops can quickly get the tools they need.”

Speaking of tools, the bill funds cutting-edge projects like the Golden Dome missile defense system and pushes for American “drone dominance,” ensuring we stay ahead of the tech curve. It’s about time we outsmart, not just outspend, our rivals.

Globally, the legislation allocates $60 million in missiles for Israel’s Iron Dome and $800 million through 2027 for Ukraine to purchase U.S.-made weapons, while restricting Chinese land buys near military bases and banning biotech coordination with Beijing or Moscow without waivers.

Security and Congressional Oversight

Closer to home, provisions like one from Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) ensure Congress gets a heads-up if they’re targeted by U.S. counterintelligence—a reminder that even lawmakers aren’t above scrutiny.

The bill also repeals old military force authorizations for Iraq from 2003, lifts certain sanctions on Syria from Trump’s first term, and even threatens to cut the Secretary of War’s travel budget over unedited footage of a Caribbean strike on a suspected trafficking boat. Talk about holding feet to the fire without burning the house down.