The House of Representatives voted 215-214 on July 21, 2026, to make approval the default for qualified service members and Pentagon civilian employees requesting permission to carry personal firearms on military installations. The measure, introduced 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 allegedly 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 facing challenges due to provisions related to firearms and transgender policies that may affect bipartisan support. Alongside the firearms measure, the House also approved amendments related to healthcare for service members and participation of transgender girls in girls' sports at Department of Defense Education Activity schools.
The House rejected an amendment that aimed to codify a previous executive order barring transgender troops from military service and another proposal to eliminate funding for the Pentagon’s Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The NDAA, which authorizes approximately $1.15 trillion for national defense, includes provisions for pay raises for service members and investment in various military technologies.
The legislation also proposes to rename the Department of Defense to the Department of War. The House is expected to continue debating amendments and vote on the final passage of the NDAA soon.