House passes $901B NDAA; FBI candidate-notice, border troop authority included
The House passed the roughly $901 billion NDAA 312–112, authorizing near‑$900B in defense spending — including a troop‑use authority for the U.S.–Mexico border, a roughly 3.8–4% military pay raise, measures targeting China (tech bans and outbound investment screening), federal recognition language for the Lumbee Tribe, restrictions on Pentagon travel funds until unedited maritime‑strike footage is released, and policy cuts on DEI and other items — and the bill now heads to the Senate. The package also contains a high‑profile, Stefanik‑backed provision requiring the FBI to notify top congressional leaders within 15 days when it opens counterintelligence assessments or investigations into federal candidates (with narrow recipient and target exceptions), a measure whose inclusion sparked a public GOP leadership dispute before being retained.
📌 Key Facts
- The House passed the annual NDAA by a 312–112 vote, authorizing roughly $900–901 billion (about $8 billion above the administration’s request); the bill now heads to the Senate after an earlier rules vote that passed 215–211 following several Republican flips.
- A new FBI‑notification provision was included: the bureau must notify Congress within 15 days after opening a counterintelligence assessment or investigation into a presidential or other federal candidate or current elected official, notifying the top four congressional leaders and the top Republican and Democrat on the House and Senate judiciary and intelligence committees (with an exception if a listed recipient is the target).
- The FBI‑notification measure touched off an intra‑GOP fight—Rep. Elise Stefanik publicly accused Speaker Mike Johnson of pulling and lying about the provision, threatened to oppose the NDAA, and later declared victory after leadership discussions—while aides characterized earlier confusion as miscommunication before the language was aligned and added to the package.
- The package contains major China‑focused measures: tech bans, an outbound investment‑screening regime targeting U.S. capital flows into Chinese military‑relevant sectors, prohibitions on government purchases from blacklisted Chinese biotech firms, and expanded U.S. support for Taiwan.
- Defense and oversight provisions include withholding 25% of the Defense Secretary’s travel funds until unedited video of the Sept. 2 Caribbean maritime strikes is provided to the Armed Services committees (a measure that has growing bipartisan Senate support to force release); Senate procedural consideration is scheduled.
- The NDAA makes a range of domestic and personnel policy changes: it prohibits DEI programs at the Department of Defense, includes language barring transgender women from women’s athletics at service academies, strips an IVF expansion provision, and provides roughly a 3.8–4% pay raise for many service members.
- Operational and posture changes codify or authorize 15 Trump executive orders (including authority to use active‑duty troops at the U.S.–Mexico border and a 'Golden Dome' air/missile defense concept), impose troop‑floor restrictions for Europe and South Korea, and include acquisition reforms and expedited weapons‑purchase authorities aimed at speeding Pentagon buys.
- The bill includes non‑defense policy actions such as granting full federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina — extending access to Indian Health Service, federal funding streams, and land‑into‑trust authority — a move opposed by some other tribes that argue the NDAA is an inappropriate vehicle.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2023, women comprised 17.7% of active-duty U.S. military personnel.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
In 2023, Black service members comprised 17.6% of active-duty U.S. military personnel.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
In 2023, Hispanic service members comprised 19.5% of active-duty U.S. military personnel.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
In 2023, Asian service members comprised 3.6% of active-duty U.S. military personnel.
2023 Demographics Report — Military OneSource
As of 2025, there were 4,240 service members in the U.S. military with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, representing about 0.2% of the approximately 2 million people in uniform.
Number of Trans Troops Far Lower Than Estimated, Pentagon Figures Show — The New York Times
The Lumbee Tribe has nearly 60,000 members.
Lumbee Tribe poised to gain federal recognition through defense bill — PBS
The unauthorized immigrant population in the United States reached a record 14 million in 2023.
Record 14 Million Unauthorized Immigrants Lived in the US in 2023 — Pew Research Center
In 2019, just 8 percent of cocaine departing from South America by sea traveled through the Caribbean Corridor north from Venezuela.
Chart: Few Cocaine Shipments Head North From Venezuela — Statista
📰 Sources (12)
Bipartisan push grows in Senate to force release of unedited Caribbean strike footage
New information:
- Bipartisan Senate support is coalescing to force release of unedited Caribbean strike footage via the NDAA provision.
- Multiple senators (Rand Paul, Tim Kaine, Angus King, Mike Rounds) publicly back releasing the full Sept. 2 double‑strike video to Congress/the public.
- Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said the footage‑release rider was likely added at the leadership level.
- Senate procedural votes on the NDAA are slated to begin Monday.
Congress would target China with new restrictions in massive defense bill
New information:
- NDAA includes outbound investment screening targeting U.S. capital flows into Chinese sectors tied to military power.
- Bill prohibits use of U.S. government funds to buy equipment/services from blacklisted Chinese biotechnology companies.
- NDAA boosts U.S. support for Taiwan, which Beijing claims and has threatened to take by force.
- Direct reactions: Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi praised the provisions as a strategic approach to counter the CCP; China’s embassy (spokesperson Liu Pengyu) condemned the bill as undermining bilateral stabilization efforts.
- Context contrast: Article notes White House softened China language in its new National Security Strategy and allowed Nvidia H200 sales to China, highlighting a Hill–White House divergence.
House passes annual defense bill to raise troop pay and overhaul weapons purchases
New information:
- House passed the NDAA 312–112, authorizing roughly $900 billion and providing a 3.8% pay raise for many service members.
- Bill includes an overhaul of Pentagon weapons acquisition processes focused on speed; Rep. Adam Smith called it the 'most ambitious swing at acquisition reform' to date.
- White House signaled 'strong support' for the bill even as Congress adds oversight measures.
- The House version includes cuts to climate and DEI programs, repeals several old war authorizations, and demands more information on Caribbean boat strikes.
- Senate critics on both sides say the bill does not do enough to restrict military flights over Washington after the deadly midair collision near Reagan National; NTSB and victims’ families have voiced opposition to that section.
House passes $901B military defense bill after Republican revolt collapses
New information:
- House passed the NDAA 312–112; earlier rule passed 215–211 after several Republicans flipped to yes.
- Topline authorization is $901 billion; bill now heads to the Senate.
- Includes $400M per year in Ukraine funding for two years; withholds 25% of War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until raw maritime-strike footage is provided.
- Confirms inclusion of FBI notification to Congress when opening probes into federal candidates.
- Confirms troop-floor restrictions for Europe and South Korea; enlisted troop pay raise of 4%.
- CBDC ban and AI state‑preemption provisions are not in the final package; IVF coverage not included.
Lumbee Tribe poised to gain federal recognition through defense bill
New information:
- The NDAA package includes language to grant the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina full federal recognition.
- Federal recognition would extend access to Indian Health Service, federal funding streams, and land-into-trust authority to the ~60,000-member tribe.
- President Trump issued an executive order directing Interior to create a Lumbee recognition plan; Interior delivered a plan in April but advised the tribe to continue pursuing recognition through Congress.
- Opposition from other tribes (e.g., Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) argues the NDAA is not the appropriate vehicle and questions Lumbee historical claims.
- Lumbee Chairman John Lowery told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that only Congress can definitively resolve the tribe’s status, calling for rectifying a 1956 law that recognized the Lumbee but denied federal services.
House to vote today on must-pass defense policy bill
New information:
- House votes today on the ~$900B NDAA, which is $8B above the administration’s request.
- Bill codifies 15 Trump executive orders, including authorizing active-duty troop use at the U.S.–Mexico border and deploying a 'Golden Dome' air/missile defense concept.
- Prohibits DEI programs at DoD and includes a 3.8% military pay raise.
- Provision to withhold 25% of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel funds until unedited maritime-strike footage is delivered remains in the bill; Schumer publicly praised this oversight.
- Language barring transgender women from women’s athletics at service academies is included; an IVF expansion provision was stripped.
Defense bill limits Pentagon travel funds until boat strike footage released
New information:
- The NDAA includes a new condition withholding 25% of the Defense Secretary’s office travel funds until Armed Services committees receive unedited video of Southern Command maritime strikes.
- It additionally compels overdue Pentagon reports, including a 'lessons learned' assessment on the Ukraine war.
FBI to be under harsh new microscope as Stefanik scores victory in annual defense bill
New information:
- Defines a 15‑day deadline for the FBI to notify Congress after opening a counterintelligence assessment or investigation into a federal candidate or current elected official.
- Specifies the notification recipients: the top four congressional leaders plus the top Republican and top Democrat on both the House and Senate judiciary and intelligence committees.
- Includes an exception if any of those recipients is the target of the probe.
- Confirms Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan’s office says he has "always been 100% supportive" of the provision.
- House GOP leadership aides attribute earlier confusion to "miscommunication and misunderstandings" and say they worked with Stefanik and committees to align the language.
Congress unveils $900B defense bill targeting China with tech bans, investment crackdown, US troop pay raise
New information:
- Final NDAA includes a mandate for FBI disclosure when investigating presidential and other federal candidates.
- Rep. Elise Stefanik claimed victory on X after discussions with Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump.
- The broader $900B NDAA package targets China with tech bans and an outbound investment screening regime.
"More lies from the speaker": Top Republicans erupt in rare public feud
New information:
- Axios reports a House GOP staffer says Speaker Johnson, not Democrats, ultimately pulled Stefanik’s FBI‑notification provision from the NDAA; a senior House Democrat says Johnson’s stance was independently reached.
- Johnson publicly says the issue wasn’t on his radar until Stefanik went public, claims chamber chairs and rankers didn’t agree, and says he supports the idea even if it was removed.
- Stefanik escalates her rhetoric, calling Johnson’s statements 'more lies' and accusing him of siding with Rep. Jamie Raskin after Raskin fought the provision.
- Specifics of the proposal: it would require the FBI to notify Congress when opening a counterintelligence investigation into federal candidates.
- Stefanik threatens to oppose the NDAA over the omission; with a razor‑thin GOP margin, losing two votes could imperil a party‑line passage.
- Context added: Stefanik blames Johnson for her scuttled UN ambassador nomination and alleges he delayed and killed it; Johnson denies this.
Stefanik accuses Johnson of lying about defense bill provision
New information:
- Johnson said the issue “hasn’t even made it to my level” and claimed bipartisan House and Senate Judiciary leaders had not agreed to include the provision in the NDAA.
- Stefanik countered that the House Intelligence Committee has jurisdiction and accused Johnson of lying, urging him to “fix it.”
- CBS notes the House could vote on the NDAA as soon as next week, and Stefanik reiterated she will vote no if the provision is excluded.