Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026
Key claim: The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 (HR4016) provides FY2026 appropriations for military personnel, operations and maintenance, procurement, RDT&E, revolving funds, the Defense Health Program, and related intelligence community accounts, while setting fund-use restrictions.
Abstract
(HR4016 · 119th Congress) Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides FY2026 appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for military activities. (The bill excludes military construction, military family housing, civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers, and nuclear warheads, which are all included in other appropriations bills.) Within the DOD budget, the bill provides appropriations for Military Personnel; Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; and Revolving and Management Funds. The bill provides appropriations for Other Department of Defense Programs, including the Defense Health Program, Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, and the Office of the Inspector General. In addition, the bill provides appropriations for Related Agencies, including (1) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund, and (2) the Intelligence Community Management Account. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts. Latest action (2025-12-08): Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S8522)
Why this matters
The DoD Appropriations Act is the single largest annual discretionary spending vehicle and sets the fiscal envelope for military personnel, readiness, procurement, R&D, and portions of the intelligence community. Fund-use restrictions in the bill can constrain executive branch flexibility on transfers, new starts, and program pivots. As the House-passed vehicle awaiting Senate action, HR4016 is one of two tracks (with S2572) that will shape final FY2026 defense spending levels.