The House of Representatives narrowly approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would create a presumption of approval for qualified service members and Pentagon civilian employees to carry personal firearms on military installations. The vote was 215-214.
The amendment, proposed by Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colo., does not automatically authorize firearms on base but establishes a default position where installation commanders would approve such requests. This vote occurred less than a year after an incident in August 2025 where an Army sergeant allegedly used a personal handgun to injure five fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart, Georgia. In that instance, personal firearms were prohibited on post, and the victims survived after other soldiers intervened.
The House also passed other controversial amendments as part of the NDAA process. One amendment, from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., prohibits TRICARE, the military's health insurance program, from covering transition-related hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries for service members and their dependents. This provision passed 219-208.
Another amendment from Mace, which passed 221-203, bars transgender girls from participating in girls' sports at Department of Defense Education Activity schools. However, an amendment from Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., that would have codified former President Donald Trump's 2025 executive order restricting transgender troops' service failed with a 217-212 vote.
Lawmakers rejected an effort to largely eliminate funding for the Pentagon’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, permitting funding only for security at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. This proposal garnered support from 76 Republicans. An amendment to bar foreign nationals from attending U.S. military academies also failed.
Votes on these amendments come as the House debates its version of the NDAA, which authorizes approximately $1.15 trillion for national defense. The bill proposes pay raises for service members, expands weapons production, and accelerates investment in emerging technologies. The legislation also includes a provision to formally change the Department of Defense's name to the Department of War.
The NDAA process has been complicated by efforts to attach unrelated legislation, including the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote and identification to cast a ballot. This election legislation faced procedural hurdles and is expected to encounter opposition in the Senate, where it could be removed during negotiations.
The Senate's version of the NDAA has also faced delays. The underlying NDAA legislation sets defense policy and authorizes spending levels, but Congress must pass separate appropriations bills to fund these priorities. The Pentagon has requested an additional $87.6 billion, including $67.1 billion for defense needs, to cover costs related to the war with Iran and replenish weapons stockpiles. A separate Republican reconciliation package could also provide significant funding for defense and intelligence programs, but faces internal party resistance.