Subcommittee presses DOD for full FY26 budget details as markups begin
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Summary
House appropriators told Defense Department leaders they lack the administration's full fiscal year 2026 budget request and the detailed "J-books" needed for accurate funding decisions, raising the prospect of rushed markups and another continuing resolution.
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense leaders told Department of Defense officials on June 10 that Congress has not received a complete fiscal year 2026 budget request from the administration, complicating a planned markup of defense spending.
Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D) told Secretary Hegseth and other witnesses that "the president's fiscal 2026 budget request, and we don't have it. It was due in February. Today is June 10. Four months from now is the end of the fiscal year, and all we have is a very rough draft." She said the lack of a full request forces the subcommittee to proceed with an "incomplete Defense Appropriations Act."
Why it matters: Appropriators said the missing materials and program-level J-books prevent them from making informed trade-offs on shipbuilding, modernization programs and quality-of-life investments for service members. Chairman Tom Cole and other members urged departmental and Office of Management and Budget staff to provide the required program details so the committee can complete considered appropriations rather than rely on continuing resolutions.
Department officials defended the information they have provided. Secretary Hegseth described the overall request during his opening remarks as a $961,600,000,000 budget request and said the department had identified savings and reallocated funds to priority programs. Brynn McDonald, acting DOD comptroller, told members she and her team were working to supply details and said several elements in the budget remain subject to the reconciliation process.
Members pressed for specific program-level data, with several representatives asking for written follow-ups and the J-books that break accounts and programs down to the level the committee needs to authorize and appropriate funds. In closing, Ranking Member McCollum reiterated that the subcommittee must receive that information promptly to avoid last-minute, lower-quality decisions.
The subcommittee proceeded to its markup later in the day; members said they would continue to request detailed materials and follow up in writing.