Budget & Taxes

HR 8800, titled the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, authorizes funding for the U.S. Department of Defense for the upcoming fiscal year. The bill allocates specific amounts for procuring equipment and supplies across all military branches, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. It also provides funds for research, development, testing, and evaluation activities, as well as money for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of military forces. These financial authorizations are detailed in funding tables within the legislation and apply to the fiscal year 2027 budget cycle.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total federal expenditures for a year from exceeding the average annual federal receipts collected in the three prior years, adjusted for changes in the population of U.S. citizens and inflation. Expenditures for payment of debt and receipts derived from borrowing are excluded. Under the amendment, Congress may authorize specific expenditures in excess of the limit with (1) a roll call vote of two-thirds of each chamber, or (2) a roll call vote for any year in which a declaration of war is in effect. The amendment also prohibits any bill to levy a new tax or increase the rate of any tax from becoming law unless it has been approved by a roll call vote of two-thirds of the whole number of each chamber of Congress. The requirements take effect in the fifth year beginning after ratification of the amendment.

HRES 1075 is a procedural resolution that enables the House to debate and vote on two specific bills. It allows consideration of H.R. 4626, which would prevent the Energy Secretary from setting new appliance efficiency standards unless they are both technologically possible and economically reasonable for manufacturers. It also enables consideration of H.R. 4758, which would eliminate federal tax subsidies for home electrification projects under Public Law 117-169. This resolution waives objections to debating these bills and sets rules for their floor consideration. The resolution itself does not change policy but facilitates the legislative process for these two bills.

This joint resolution reinstates provisions of District of Columbia (DC) tax law to conform with federal tax law. As background, DC generally automatically adopts changes to federal tax law (known as rolling conformity). Therefore, upon enactment of the 2025 reconciliation act (commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), many of its tax provisions became DC law. DC subsequently enacted its own legislation (the DC Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025) that decoupled DC tax law from these federal provisions. This joint resolution nullifies the DC legislation, thereby generally realigning DC tax law with the tax provisions of the 2025 reconciliation act. Specifically, the joint resolution reinstates for DC provisions that •    increase the higher basic standard deduction; •    increase deductible charitable cash contributions (for taxpayers who take the standard deduction); •    establish a $6,000 tax deduction for taxpayers 65 years and older; •    allow a tax deduction of qualified tips, qualified overtime pay, and qualified car loan interest; •    authorize an elective 100% depreciation allowance for nonresidential real property; and •    authorize businesses to deduct 100% of research and experimental costs retroactive to tax year 2022. The DC legislation also amended several other provisions of DC tax law, including restoring the DC child tax credit. The joint resolution negates these changes.

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 This bill provides FY2026 appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for military activities. (The bill excludes military construction, military family housing, civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers, and nuclear warheads, which are all included in other appropriations bills.) Within the DOD budget, the bill provides appropriations for Military Personnel; Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; and Revolving and Management Funds. The bill provides appropriations for Other Department of Defense Programs, including the Defense Health Program, Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, and the Office of the Inspector General. In addition, the bill provides appropriations for Related Agencies, including (1) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund, and (2) the Intelligence Community Management Account. The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.