The House of Representatives approved a defense policy bill on Wednesday that includes a historic $1.15 trillion in national security spending, reflecting President Donald Trump’s budget request. The legislation also proposes renaming the Department of Defense as the Department of War, a move first initiated by the president’s executive order last year but requiring congressional approval to take effect.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by a narrow margin of 216 to 212 votes, marking a departure from the bill’s usual bipartisan consensus. Democrats opposed the substantial increase in Pentagon funding, arguing it came at the expense of nondefense programs targeted for cuts in other legislation. They also criticized several conservative social provisions added to the bill, including a ban on gender-related medical treatments under the military’s Tricare health system and relaxed rules allowing service members to carry privately owned firearms on military bases—a policy change supported by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The partisan divide widened further when Republican leadership attached President Trump’s elections overhaul legislation, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, to the defense bill. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has promoted the strategy to pressure the Senate, which has thus far declined to pass the election reform proposal, by making it part of must-pass legislation.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, acknowledged the disagreements but emphasized the vote as a preliminary step in the legislative process. Rogers underscored the need to address what he described as decades of underfunding in the U.S. military and defense industrial base, asserting that the bill would strengthen the armed forces to deter threats from competitors like China.

Conversely, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the panel’s ranking member, criticized the administration’s broader defense budget requests, which he said approach $1.6 trillion when including separate appropriations for the ongoing conflict with Iran and increased weapons stockpiling. Smith voiced concern about escalating tensions with Iran and cautioned that passing the bill effectively endorses an open-ended war effort. He urged Republicans to challenge the president’s spending ambitions and refrain from granting what he termed a “blank check” for sustained military engagement.

The legislation’s authorized spending will not be enacted until Congress passes a corresponding defense appropriations bill. The Senate has yet to approve its version of the NDAA, and lawmakers may not finalize the measure until after the upcoming midterm elections.

The White House praised the House-approved funding levels and supported the renaming of the Department of Defense to the Department of War, describing it as a recognition of America’s resolve to “fight and win wars.” However, the administration expressed reservations about certain provisions, including one that could restrict the president’s authority over the naming of military installations and property.

This naming issue arises against the backdrop of debates over military base names linked to Confederate figures. In 2023, seven Army bases were renamed as part of a broader reassessment of Confederate symbolism within the armed forces. Last year, the bases reverted to their original names but were rededicated to different individuals sharing Confederate surnames, as the Army sought alternate honorees bearing the same last names.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that officially rebranding the Defense Department as the Department of War could cost taxpayers up to $125 million, accounting for expenses related to signage, stationery, and other administrative changes.