NDAA Delayed: GOP House Faces Challenges Amid Broad Policy Disputes

House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged on Wednesday that Congress has failed to pass the final text of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a critical funding bill for the Pentagon. Originally scheduled for Thursday, lawmakers delayed action citing disagreements over several unrelated provisions.

The central conflict involves whether to include the Senate’s ROAD Housing Act as part of the NDAA. The administration-backed measure aims to lower housing costs but faces opposition from Rep. French Hill. Hill stated his panel hasn’t reviewed any text and cannot support its inclusion without proper oversight, emphasizing their reluctance without seeing specifics.

Beyond housing, lawmakers grapple with proposed investment restrictions targeting China, which raise national-security concerns but also economic worries for members. Another major sticking point is expanding fertility benefits under TRICARE to include in vitro fertilization for military families, drawing objections from some Republicans due to pro-life principles despite broad support within the defense bills themselves.

House Speaker Mike Johnson voiced conditional backing for IVF access only “when sufficient pro-life protections are in place.”

The unusual delays highlight that the NDAA has become a vehicle for broader legislative agendas. One early casualty was a proposed moratorium on state-level artificial intelligence laws, which had garnered some Republican support but ultimately failed to secure enough votes.

With final negotiations now expected by the end of the weekend, House Minority Leader Eric Adams expressed concern about mobilizing sufficient backing given these contentious add-ons and the narrow GOP majority in his chamber.