HR 4016 Introduced – FY 2026 DOD Spending
Last week Rep Calvert (R,CA) introduced HR 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026. The House Appropriations Committee published their Report on the bill. In addition to setting spending for DOD, the bill includes two minor cyber related mentions as well as a brief chemical weapons destruction entry. There are three cybersecurity discussions in the Report. The bill passed in Committee on a party-line vote.
Cyber in the Bill
There are no cybersecurity issues identified in the text of the bill. There is a brief mention of ‘cyber assessments’ in the discussion (pgs 40-1) on Operational Test and Evaluation. Additionally, in §8098 (pg 109) there is a line item for ‘Defensive Cyber’ with no dollar amount listed.
Chemical in the Bill
On page 43 of the legislation there is a continuation of the funding for destroying chemical weapons. This includes $3,243,000 shall be for operation and maintenance for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program,
Cyber in Report
On page 114 the report discusses the Army Integrated Tactical Network and Crypto Modernization Program. It includes a mention of ‘cyber supply chain risk management’ and the Committee “encourages the Secretary of the Army to ensure such levels of security are met in current and future tactical radio system procurements.”
On page 221 the report discusses military support (and use of) the NASA Neil Armstrong Test Facility (ATF). The Committee “encourages the Department to assist NASA in providing the ATF with cyber security, physical security, and other necessary upgrades that will allow the Department continued access to ATF’s world-class space, aeronautics, and hypersonic assets.”
Also on page 221 the report continues the Committees ongoing concerns about cybersecurity of weapons platforms. The Committee recommends “includes $10,000,000 in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide for real-time monitoring of weapons systems cybersecurity to implement on-board, near real-time, monitoring capabilities on high priority weapon system platforms.”
Moving Forward
In recent years spending bills have been a pro forma statement of policy by the ruling party as continuing resolutions and year-end deals have become the funding mechanisms de jure. The problem has been exacerbated since the Republicans came back into control of the House in that they have had problems even passing bills in the House because of intraparty conflicts.
This year may be different, at least for this bill. With the attacks on Iran last night, we might see a stronger push to support the Pentagon in its ongoing war role. This bill passed in Committee on a party-line vote, and I would expect it to receive similar support on the floor of the House. The Senate has not yet started crafting spending bills, so it is too early to tell how far apart the two houses of congress are. In any case the 60-vote Senate is unlikely to pass this bill as it stands, but there is still plenty of time between now and September 30th to work out reasonable differences. The unreasonable differences could still remain a problem.