$900 Billion Military Bill Rejected By Cory Booker, Andy Kim Of New Jersey

New Jersey’s two U.S. senators were among a small faction of Congress members who voted against a $900 billion military spending bill on Wednesday.

U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim each voted “no” on the latest version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senate voted 77-20 to approve the annual spending bill.

The fiscal year 2026 blueprint survived a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. It now heads to the desk of President Donald Trump, who has reportedly said he plans to sign it into law.

Congress rolls out a new version of the bill each year to establish defense priorities and provide direction on how the funding can be spent. The “must pass” legislation typically sees several changes and amendments before a final version is agreed upon by the Senate and House of Representatives.

There have been both cheers and jeers for the nation's current levels of military spending. Some say that a well-funded military strengthens national security, supports servicemembers and creates jobs. But critics question whether the nation’s rising military budget is a good use of taxpayer money at a time when every dollar counts.

Congress has greenlighted the bill every year for more than six consecutive decades.

BOOKER, KIM VOTE ‘NO’

Booker and Kim each issued statements in the wake of Wednesday’s vote. Here’s what they had to say:

BOOKER – “I’m pleased that the final version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act includes some improvements I’ve been fighting for, such as an amendment I filed to protect the integrity of Picatinny Arsenal, funding for critical military construction projects in New Jersey, a pay increase for service members, and additional funds for educational resources for children with disabilities in military communities through Impact Aid, as well as my amendment to require the State Department to offer both men and women’s sizing options when issuing life-saving tactical gear to federal law enforcement officers and Diplomatic Security agents. That said, authorizing funding increases without safeguards to hold Donald Trump and his administration accountable would amount to Congress surrendering its constitutional duty to provide a check on this rogue administration and the damage it is doing to our national security departments and agencies. I will always stand up for New Jerseyans and to protect our national security, but I cannot give the Trump administration a blank check to continue terrorizing our communities and cutting essential funding for our state.”

KIM – “The United States needs to maintain the world’s strongest and most cutting-edge military to protect our national security, particularly to deter an increasingly aggressive China. Unfortunately, this administration is instead attempting to turn our military into a personal political tool of the President, deploying the military on to American streets, and continuing its lawlessness in the Caribbean. While this bill includes important initiatives, including provisions I helped secure, it does not do enough to reign in this administration’s lawlessness that puts American servicemembers at-risk, threatens stability at home and around the world, and erodes the sacred trust of what our military stands for.”

BUDGET DEBATE

Is the U.S. military budget becoming too bloated, or is it money well-spent? That depends on who you ask.

In New Jersey, this year’s NDAA got “yes” votes from seven House members last week, including Republicans and Democrats.

Two of the Republicans who voted for the bill – Reps. Kean and Van Drew – said it is a “win” for national security.

Kean noted that this year’s NDAA includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for troops. He also pointed to funds that will support Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which is one of the largest employers in the region.

Kean also said the bill provides critical resources for security at the southern border, strengthens counterterrorism efforts and includes riders such as the Safer Skies Act, which empowers authorities with the necessary tools to defeat drones when they present a threat to the public.

“Our bill also advances America’s military dominance by revitalizing the defense industrial base and investing in key priorities like missile defense, autonomous systems and new warships,” Kean said.

Van Drew called the compromise legislation a “strong defense bill,” also praising the “well-deserved pay raise” for the troops.

“We are helping law enforcement protect our kids, getting better equipment into the hands of our police, strengthening the 177th Air National Guard Fighter Wing with a major investment, and continuing the upgrades at Coast Guard Training Center Cape May,” Van Drew said.

The bill also saw support from Rep. Gottheimer, a Democrat, who said it will “combat foreign terror, protect the U.S. strategic advantage over China, support our ally Israel, strengthen American AI capabilities, defend against Russian threats, support education for service members, and give troops a pay raise.”

“I’ll continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our active-duty military, combat terrorism and violent extremism, and strengthen America’s national security,” Gottheimer said.

Other Congress members from both sides of the aisle have been leery about the steadily increasing topline of the nation’s military budget.

“I voted ‘no’ on the National Defense Authorization Act because Congress cannot continue writing blank checks for endless war while millions of Americans struggle to afford housing, health care and basic necessities,” Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota said after last week’s vote in the House.

“This year’s NDAA authorizes nearly $900 billion for the Pentagon, more than we spend on education, health, climate and poverty programs combined,” the Democratic lawmaker continued. “It pours billions into weapons systems the Pentagon itself has said it does not need. It increases funding for defense contractors who profit from global instability and it advances a vision of national security rooted in militarization instead of diplomacy, human rights, or community wellbeing.”

“I will always support giving service members what they need to stay safe, but that does not mean rubber stamping bloated budgets or enabling unchecked executive war powers,” Omar added.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Republican, said the NDAA is “filled with American’s hard earned tax dollars used to fund foreign aid and foreign country’s wars.”

“These American People are $38 trillion in debt, suffering from an affordability crisis, on the verge of a healthcare crisis, and credit card debt is at an all-time high,” Greene said. “Funding foreign aid and foreign wars is America Last and is beyond excuse anymore.”

“I would love to fund our military, but refuse to support foreign aid and foreign militaries and foreign wars,” Greene said.

See Related: NJ House Members Vote On $900B Military Budget

IMPACT OF DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN NEW JERSEY

According to the New Jersey governor's office, the defense sector is a significant employer in New Jersey, with more than 54,000 personnel working directly on the three major military bases, including more than 46,000 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, 6,000 at Picatinny Arsenal, and 1,500 at Naval Weapons Station Earle.

An additional 22,000 New Jerseyans are employed as contractors or within the supply chain.

The Department of Defense allocated approximately $9.4 billion to New Jersey in Fiscal Year 2023. This funding represented about 1.3 percent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product, and included $2 billion for salaries of active duty and civilian personnel, and more than $7 billion in defense contracts awarded within the state.

Currently, New Jersey is home to roughly 7,091 defense contractors who collectively receive about $7.3 billion in federal military contracts.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.