By The Epoch Times | Created at 2026-07-23 20:41:45 | Updated at 2026-07-24 05:08:19
8 hours ago
Six House Democrats voted with Republicans to pass the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act on July 22, eight days after Senate Democrats blocked the same legislation in a procedural vote their leader tied to renewed U.S. military action in Iran.
The House passed the $1.15 trillion measure 216–212. The six Democrats were Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (N.C.), Jared Golden (Maine), Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), Adam Gray (Calif.), and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Wash.).
All but Golden, who is not seeking reelection, are part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) “Frontliners” list. The DCCC’s Frontliners are Democratic incumbents in what the organization calls “the most competitive seats” that are essential for the party’s “path to retake the Majority.”
Four of the six had issued statements by Thursday afternoon explaining the vote. Each cited provisions affecting their state or district, troop pay, or domestic manufacturing, but none mentioned Iran.
Golden said in a July 22 release that he secured language barring funds authorized under the bill from being used to contract for a battle force ship built in a foreign yard, and $1 billion for a second DDG-51 destroyer expected to be built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine.
“This bill is a win for America’s shipbuilders, including the thousands of workers at Bath Iron Works for whom it will provide job security,” Golden said. He also cited a pay raise for troops, improved cost-of-living adjustments and expanded leave allowances.
Gonzalez said in a July 22 release that he authored language and amendments affecting the Corpus Christi Army Depot, including a provision allowing depots to write off debt tied to government-directed mission changes and an amendment requiring a report on funds for a powertrain facility at the depot. A separate amendment he co-sponsored would bar the Defense Department from procuring or selling seafood originating in China or processed there.
“I worked in a bipartisan manner to raise military pay and expand access to housing, childcare, and healthcare for our service members and their families in South Texas and around the world,” Gonzalez said.
Davis, vice ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a July 22 release that he sponsored 31 provisions in the bill, including $89 million for a Fleet Readiness Center facility at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and support for an artificial intelligence pilot program run through the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in Havelock, North Carolina.
“By investing in our military installations, strengthening American manufacturing, and modernizing our military, this legislation helps ensure our servicemembers remain ready to meet evolving global security challenges,” Davis said.
Gluesenkamp Perez said in a July 23 statement that the bill provides a raise for servicemembers and includes right-to-repair provisions. She also addressed the decision by Republicans to attach the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE America Act, to the bill when it is sent to the Senate.
“Abandoning the many wins in the NDAA over a dead-on-arrival attached provision would be a pyrrhic victory,” she said, adding that she is working to support Senate colleagues seeking to strip the provision.
No statements on the vote were issued by Cuellar and Gray, and they did not respond to a request for comment by The Epoch Times before publication.
The Senate on July 14 blocked a motion to proceed to its version of the bill on a 50–46 vote, short of the 60 needed. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) changed his vote from yes to no in order to bring the motion up again.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the floor before that vote that the White House had formally notified Congress that hostilities had resumed and that American strikes were underway again.
“Democrats voted unanimously against the NDAA—unanimously, because the belief of our caucus is wide and deep: Congress cannot continue business as usual on the annual defense bill when Trump is actively escalating one of the worst national security disasters in American history,” Schumer said in a statement after the vote.
“We will not act like a rubber stamp when our service[members] are in harm’s way abroad and Americans are getting crushed financially here at home. No way.”
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said at the time the vote was “unprecedented” and reflected a decision by Schumer not to cooperate, which he called “a new low.”
House Republicans have attached the SAVE America Act to several major bills passed this month and forwarded to the Senate. Senate Democrats have said they oppose the measure. The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
Jackson Richman contributed to this report.
