149 House Democrats Join 192 Republicans to Pass Sweeping Military Spending Bill

"Despite months of warnings from party members up and down the caucus that President Donald Trump has been "lawless," "destructive, and "authoritarian" in his wielding of power both domestically and abroad, 149 Democratic members of the US House of Representatives on Thursday night joined with 192 Republicans to pass a sweeping military spending bill - a vote that progressive critics say exposes the fecklessness and hypocrisy of what claims to be an opposition party."

"The 341-88 passage of the $828.7 billion fiscal 2026 military spending bill came over the objections of progressives who warned that the bill - now headed to the US Senate for final passage as soon as next week - is a tacit endorsement of the president's policies, even as he has ordered federal agents to terrorize US cities, deployed US soldiers on domestic soil in the face of lawful protests, threatened to annex Greenland and other nations by force, and conducted overseas military operations - including overt acts of war over the last year against both Iran and Venezuela - without congressional notification, authorization, or oversight."

""If an opposition party votes like this, it's not in opposition. It may not even be a party," said Stephen Semler, a senior non-resident fellow at the Center for International Policy, a foreign policy think tank in Washington, DC."

149 House Democrats joined 192 Republicans to pass a $828.7 billion fiscal 2026 military spending bill by a 341-88 vote. Progressive critics warned the vote amounted to a tacit endorsement of President Trump's policies despite repeated warnings that his wielding of power has been described as "lawless," "destructive," and "authoritarian." Critics cited federal agents terrorizing US cities, domestic deployment of soldiers against protests, threats to annex Greenland, and overseas operations against Iran and Venezuela conducted without congressional authorization. Rep. Jim McGovern voted against the bill, and commentators contrasted the vote with Democratic voter preferences.

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