Morning Briefing - January 22, 2026
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January 21, 2026

Final fiscal 2026 defense spending bill has $8.4 billion increase, $2 billion for Virginia-class subs

By Staff Reports

Congressional appropriators Tuesday unveiled the final $839 billion fiscal 2026 defense spending bill, including an $8.4 billion topline boost covering some priorities sought by the Donald Trump administration outside of its Pentagon budget request. 

The bill includes $27.2 billion to build 17 ships, including one Columbia-class submarine and two Virginia-class submarines.

For aircraft, the bill includes $7.6 billion to fund 47 F-35s and $1.9 billion for the B-21 bomber program.

The spending package with the defense appropriations legislation appears to have the backing of some House and Senate Democrats, after the party’s top appropriators noted the bill “rejects all the poison pill riders proposed by House Republicans.”

The House is set to consider the defense appropriations bill this week as part of a “minibus” spending package, with the Senate to follow as Congress works to pass spending legislation ahead of the Jan. 30 funding deadline.

Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily first published a version of this story.