The House of Representatives voted 215-214 on July 21, 2026, to approve a measure allowing qualified service members and Pentagon civilian employees to request permission to carry personal firearms on military installations. The amendment, proposed by Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), establishes a presumption that installation commanders will approve such requests. This vote follows an incident in August 2025, where an Army sergeant used a personal handgun to shoot five fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart, Georgia, while personal firearms were prohibited on the base at that time.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has been passed annually for over sixty years, is traditionally bipartisan. However, the inclusion of firearms and transgender policy provisions has raised concerns among Democrats, potentially complicating negotiations with the Senate. The House also passed an amendment from Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) that prohibits TRICARE from covering transition-related medical services for service members and their dependents, with a vote of 219-208.
Additionally, the House voted 221-203 to bar transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports at Department of Defense Education Activity schools. Lawmakers rejected a proposal from Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) that aimed to codify a previous executive order barring transgender troops from service. The House also dismissed an amendment to eliminate funding for the Pentagon’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and another that would have barred foreign nationals from attending U.S. military academies.
The NDAA, which authorizes approximately $1.15 trillion for national defense, is set to provide pay raises for service members and expand production of weapons and munitions. It also proposes to change the Department of Defense’s name to the Department of War. The House is expected to continue debating amendments and vote on the final passage of the NDAA after considering the remaining proposals.