The House Armed Services Committee late Tuesday approved its draft of the fiscal-year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act in a 55–2 bipartisan vote, clearing the way for floor debate later this month. The legislation authorizes a base defense budget of about $847 billion, in line with the White House request. The measure would boost active-duty and reserve end strength by roughly 26,000 troops and grant service members a 3.8 percent pay raise. Lawmakers adopted Ranking Member Adam Smith’s amendment to add $100 million for Ukraine, bringing total security assistance in the House draft to $400 million, still below the Senate’s figure. Policy provisions bar any reduction of U.S. forces in Europe or on the Korean Peninsula without congressional approval and incorporate the Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery (SPEED) Act aimed at accelerating weapons acquisition. The bill also advances dozens of amendments on satellite networks, cyber forces and toxic-exposure studies. Committee passage of the NDAA follows the House’s June approval of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, the first of 12 spending measures for fiscal 2026. Negotiations with the Senate on a final defense policy bill are expected to stretch into the fall.