The House Armed Services Committee approved a massive defense policy bill early Friday morning, authorizing roughly $1.15 trillion for the Pentagon and including a controversial rebrand of the department as the Department of War. The fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act passed on a 44-12 vote, with all dissenting votes coming from Democrats who objected to the price tag and the lack of constraints on President Trump's ongoing military campaign in Iran.
The legislation now heads to the House floor, where it is expected to be debated in mid-July. The committee's marathon markup session, stretching from Thursday morning until midnight Friday, saw lawmakers consider nearly 600 of the 900 amendments filed to the bill.
Pentagon Rebranded as Department of War
In a surprise late-night vote, the committee adopted an amendment from Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) to formally rename the Department of Defense the Department of War. The measure passed 29-27, with Jackson arguing that the change would project American resolve. "Restoring the name Department of War sends an unmistakable signal to the world," Jackson said. "Deterrence only works when adversaries believe America is willing to fight and win to secure its interests."
President Trump signed an executive order in September authorizing the name change, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth already uses the title "Secretary of War." However, Congress must approve the official switch. The House GOP's push to rebrand the Pentagon has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the panel's ranking member, called the proposal "one of the dumbest things that has been done by this administration" and dismissed it as "semantic nonsense at a time when we have a lot of substantive arguments."
Base Names Revert, Then Flip Again
In another contentious vote, the committee approved an amendment by Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.) to restore the names of nine military bases that had been changed to honor non-Confederate figures under President Biden. Hegseth reversed those changes last year, reinstating the original Confederate names but claiming they now honored different soldiers with the same last names. The move fulfilled a Trump campaign promise to overturn the 2022 congressionally mandated commission's recommendations.
Republicans Rep. Don Bacon (Neb.) and Rep. Carlos Giménez (Fla.) crossed party lines to support Strickland's amendment, which would order Hegseth to revert the bases to their post-2022 names. "We did it right," Bacon said. "And then what happened was the secretary comes in and puts his thumb in our eye and just has total disregard for Congress. It bothers me, I think it should bother all of us."
Bipartisan Frustration Over Hegseth's Firings
The committee also took aim at Hegseth's opaque personnel decisions. By unanimous voice vote, lawmakers approved a provision requiring the Pentagon to inform Congress within five days of firing or dismissing senior military officers. The measure, introduced by Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), comes after bipartisan outrage over Hegseth's removal of at least two dozen top officers without explanation, including Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, who had broad support on Capitol Hill.
Another provision that would have allowed only the president to overrule a military promotion board's recommendation failed 26-30. The vote followed reports that Hegseth blocked the promotions of nine Navy officers selected by a board of senior admirals, disproportionately targeting women and minority officers. Earlier this year, Hegseth also removed two Black and two women colonels from the Army's list of nominees for one-star general, reportedly over the objections of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) noted that Hegseth has provided no explanation for these decisions.
The committee's actions reflect growing bipartisan unease with Hegseth's management, especially as the U.S. remains embroiled in the war in Iran. The naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz continues, and lawmakers on both sides have demanded greater transparency from the Pentagon.
