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House Appropriations panel presses Air Force leaders over FY‑26 skinny budget and reconciliation plan
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Summary
House appropriators pressed Department of the Air Force leaders about an incomplete FY‑26 budget, reliance on reconciliation for billions in defense funding, and the difficulty of planning under a continuing resolution.
Acting Secretary of the Air Force Frank Ashworth and senior service leaders told the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee on oversight that the department is finalizing fiscal year 2026 budget details but that members remain concerned about the White House’s “skinny” request and heavy reliance on reconciliation funding.
Committee members said the administration’s brief topline—paired with an assumption that roughly $113 billion would come through reconciliation—makes it difficult for appropriators to plan and risks shortfalls if reconciliation fails. “The reconciliation process is not a sustainable approach to resourcing defense,” said Chairman Ken Calvert. “It’s not a substitute for regular appropriations.”
The issue matters because, lawmakers said, a lack of detailed allocations hampers the committee’s ability to conduct line‑by‑line oversight and produce appropriation bills. Ranking Member Betty McCollum said the administration’s proposal effectively freezes defense discretionary spending at about current levels in the skinny outline and “any increases beyond that are assumed through the reconciliation process,” which she said is not a responsible substitute for appropriations.
Acting Secretary Ashworth said the department is finishing a reexamination of the FY‑26 request and aligned its priorities to the interim national defense strategic guidance. He listed strategic deterrence, homeland defense and power projection as top priorities and said the department is preparing a request that will include both appropriations and reconciliation components. “We are working through the final stages of pulling together the concept and the final initial plan,” Ashworth said about one major priority concept being considered by the department.
Committee members pressed for concrete numbers and schedules. Representative Tom Cole and others said the subcommittee needs line‑by‑line detail to do its work and to avoid creating an appropriations “cliff.” Members repeatedly asked whether the Air Force and Space Force would be net “receivers” or “donors” in a constrained budget; Air Force leaders declined to commit to the final service shares until the department’s internal relook is complete.
The hearing included discussion of the FY‑25 continuing resolution, which members said has left the department operating without an agreed spending plan for the year. Ashworth said the department provided a spend plan under the CR and used flexibilities Congress granted, but that the CR’s funding level was roughly $4.6 billion below what the department expected, requiring internal adjustments.
Less urgent details included committee requests for additional material the subcommittee will send for the record, including program specifics and the department’s plan for addressing industrial base, personnel, and acquisition challenges. The panel said it expects follow‑up briefings and documents as the administration completes the FY‑26 submission.
Looking ahead, members signaled they will press for a timely full budget and warned that relying on reconciliation to supply major increases adds risk. The subcommittee said it will continue oversight and requested written follow‑ups to clarify the split between appropriations and reconciliation elements when the department submits its full request.
