Congressional Action on Defense Appropriations
Legislative Efforts to Fund the Department of Defense in FY2026
In June 2025, the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and Armed Services held hearings on the Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Act, 2026. Between June 10 and 18, 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine attended each of the hearings and provided witness statements on defense appropriations requirements. During the hearings, committee members questioned Hegseth and Caine about budget details, modernization delays, the controversial use of troops for domestic law enforcement, the Golden Dome missile defense, and the Trump Administration’s focus on border security. Committee members demanded clearer budget…
