KABUL (Pajhwok): The US House of Representatives has narrowly approved a $1.15 trillion defence spending bill that includes expanded military and technological cooperation with Israel and funding linked to the war against Iran, according to media reports.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027 passed the House on Wednesday by 216 votes to 212, with six Democrats supporting the measure and seven Republicans voting against it, Al Jazeera reported.
The bill reflects President Donald Trump’s push for a major increase in the US defence budget, raising military spending from about $900 billion last year to $1.5 trillion.
Trump has said the increase is necessary due to the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran.
The proposal has faced opposition from some lawmakers in both parties, who have raised concerns over the cost of the war and expanded military cooperation with Israel.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a critic of the Iran war, said the bill would further integrate US military technology and supply chains with those of Israel.
“The final vote total for the NDAA today tragically merges our military technology and supply chains with Israel’s,” Massie said in a social media post after the vote.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain as some Democrats have criticised its cost and the administration’s cuts to social programmes.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has previously described the legislation as an authorisation for continuing the US government’s war against Iran.
The package also includes funding for Ukraine and the Save America proposal, which would introduce new restrictions on voting procedures in the United States.
kk
