H.Res. 1398 · 119th Congress · POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - The Chair put the question on motion to reconsider and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. McGovern demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
House Sets Debate Rules for Defense, Security Funding, and Other Bills
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8800) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8595) making appropriations for national security, Department of State, and related programs for the fiscal year ending Septembe
Sponsored by Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8] (R-GA)
Deep dive July 10, 2026
This resolution sets the rules for House debate on several bills. These include the 2027 defense funding bill (H.R. 8800) and a national security and State Department funding bill (H.R. 8595). It also sets rules for a Social Security disability test program bill, a tax cut anniversary resolution, and merges another bill into the defense bill.
What to know
The rule limits debate on the defense bill and the security funding bill to one hour each, split evenly between parties.
Only pre-approved amendments listed in Rules Committee reports can be offered on these two bills, in a set order.
Committee chairs can bundle multiple amendments into one package for a single vote, limiting individual debate.
Committee leaders can each offer up to 10 non-substantive speeches to gain extra debate time on both bills.
The resolution also sets fast-track rules for a disability insurance test program bill and a tax cut anniversary resolution, and it drops an earlier, unrelated House resolution.
It directs the Clerk to merge a separate bill, S. 1383, into the defense bill after passage, combining them into one package sent to the Senate.
Heads up
3 buried provisions
Provisions we flagged do not match the bill's stated purpose, or repeat language from bills that did not pass on their own.
Broad waiver of points of order for the defense bill (Section 1)
Why we flagged this
This rule waives all points of order against the defense bill and its amendments. Points of order let members block provisions that break House rules. Waiving them all means added text cannot be challenged on the floor. This can let unrelated or costly items pass without a rules objection.
Show the exact bill text
The bill, as amended, shall be considered as the original bill for the purpose of further amendment under the five-minute rule and shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived.
Waiver of spending rules for the appropriations bill (Section 6)
Why we flagged this
This rule waives points of order under rule XXI clauses 2 and 5(a). Those rules limit unauthorized spending and certain tax or tariff measures in an appropriations bill. Waiving them lets such items stay in the bill without challenge. Most readers would miss this effect.
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Points of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 or clause 5(a) of rule XXI are waived.
Adding text of a separate Senate bill during engrossment (Section 14)
Why we flagged this
This directs the Clerk to attach the text of S. 1383 to the defense bill during engrossment. The added text becomes part of the bill without a separate vote. Attaching one bill to another this way is easy to miss. The Clerk also gets authority to renumber and edit sections.
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In the engrossment of H.R. 8800, the Clerk shall— add the text of S. 1383, as passed by the House, as new matter at the end of H.R. 8800;
Section by section
Rules for debating the defense budget bill
This section sets the ground rules for how the House will debate H.R. 8800, the defense funding bill for 2027. It lets the Speaker move the House into a special debate mode called the Committee of the Whole. It skips a normal reading step for the bill. It blocks objections to starting debate on the bill. Debate is limited to one hour, split evenly between the two parties on the Armed Services Committee. After that, lawmakers can offer amendments under a process called the five-minute rule. It also swaps in a new version of the bill's text, called Rules Committee Print 119-33, to replace the committee's original version. This new version becomes the starting point for any further changes. Finally, it blocks objections to parts of the updated bill.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives during floor debate. It also affects how quickly and under what terms the defense funding bill moves forward.
Tradeoff
Setting firm limits on debate and blocking objections speeds up the process, but it also limits how much lawmakers can challenge or slow down the bill's provisions.
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General debate shall be confined to the bill and amendments specified in this section and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services or their respective designees.
Rules for offering amendments to the defense bill
This section sets strict rules for changing H.R. 8800, a defense funding bill. Only amendments listed in a special committee report can be offered. Members cannot bring up other changes. Each listed amendment can only be offered by the specific lawmaker named in the report. It must be offered in the order the report lists it. It counts as read, so it does not need to be read aloud. Debate time is limited and split evenly between supporters and opponents. These amendments cannot be changed further, except for small technical fixes called pro forma amendments. Objections based on procedural rules against these amendments are blocked.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives debating the 2027 defense funding bill. It limits their ability to propose changes on the floor.
Tradeoff
This process speeds up debate and avoids delays, but it limits which lawmakers can offer changes and blocks some objections that might otherwise be raised.
Show the exact bill text
No further amendment to H.R. 8800, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, amendments en bloc described in section 3 of this resolution, and pro forma amendments described in section 4 of this resolution.
Grouping amendments together for one vote
This section sets a rule for debate on a defense spending bill. The Armed Services Committee chair, or someone chosen by the chair, can bundle several pre-approved amendments into one package. This bundle is called an 'amendment en bloc.' Lawmakers cannot change these bundled amendments, except in one specific case allowed elsewhere in the resolution. Debate on the bundle is limited to 40 minutes. That time splits evenly between the chair and the ranking minority member of the committee, or their picks. Members also cannot force the amendments to be voted on separately.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives, especially those on the Armed Services Committee. It shapes how they can debate and vote on changes to the defense bill.
Tradeoff
Bundling amendments speeds up the debate process, but it limits each lawmaker's chance to challenge or vote on individual amendments separately.
Show the exact bill text
Amendments en bloc offered pursuant to this section shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 40 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services or their respective designees, shall not be subject to amendment except as provided by section 4 of this resolution, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
Extra debate time on the defense bill
This section is a rule for how Congress debates H.R. 8800, a defense funding bill. It lets top leaders of the Armed Services Committee offer 'pro forma' amendments. A pro forma amendment does not change the bill. It just lets a lawmaker speak longer during debate. Both the top Republican and top Democrat on the committee, or people they pick, can each offer up to 10 of these. They can use this at any point while the bill is being debated.
Who this affects
This affects members of Congress, mainly the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee. It shapes how much debate time lawmakers get on the defense bill.
Tradeoff
It gives committee leaders more chances to speak and question the bill, but it can also slow down the debate process.
Show the exact bill text
During consideration of H.R. 8800 for amendment, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services or their respective designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for the purpose of debate.
Ending debate and moving to a final vote on the defense bill
This section sets the rules for finishing work on H.R. 8800, a defense funding bill. After the House finishes debating and amending the bill, a committee must report it back to the full House. Any new amendments approved during that process go with it. The rule says the House will not have more debate after this point. Lawmakers can offer one final motion, called a motion to recommit, before the final vote. This motion lets the minority party try to change or send back the bill one last time.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives and how they can debate or change H.R. 8800 before voting.
Tradeoff
This process speeds up passage of the bill, but it limits how much lawmakers can debate or change it before the final vote.
Show the exact bill text
The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.
Rules for debating the national security funding bill
This section sets up how the House will debate H.R. 8595, a bill that funds national security, the State Department, and related programs for fiscal year 2027. The House can move into a special debate mode called the Committee of the Whole. The bill skips a formal first reading. Objections that the bill was brought up the wrong way are blocked. Debate on the whole bill is capped at one hour, split evenly between the two parties on the Appropriations Committee. After that, lawmakers can offer amendments under a process that limits each speech to five minutes. The bill is treated as already read aloud, saving time. Objections based on certain spending or budget rule violations are also blocked.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives and how they debate and amend the national security spending bill. It indirectly affects anyone who depends on programs funded by this bill.
Tradeoff
Limiting debate time and blocking certain objections speeds up the process, but it also reduces chances for lawmakers to challenge or slow down parts of the bill.
Show the exact bill text
General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees.
Rules for amending the security spending bill
This section sets strict limits on changes to H.R. 8595, a spending bill for national security and State Department programs. Only amendments already printed in a special report from the Rules Committee can be offered. Each of these amendments must be offered in a set order, by a specific member of Congress named in the report. Members get a limited, fixed amount of time to debate each one. Lawmakers cannot change these pre-approved amendments further, except in ways the resolution allows. They also cannot force a vote splitting an amendment into separate parts. Finally, any objection based on House rules against these amendments is automatically waived.
Who this affects
Members of the House of Representatives who want to propose changes to H.R. 8595, the national security and State Department funding bill.
Tradeoff
This process speeds up debate and keeps it organized, but it limits which lawmakers can offer changes and blocks other amendments from being considered.
Show the exact bill text
No amendment to H.R. 8595 shall be in order except those printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, amendments en bloc described in section 8 of this resolution, and pro forma amendments described in section 9 of this resolution.
Grouping amendments for debate
This section sets rules for how certain amendments get debated. The chair of the Appropriations Committee, or someone chosen by the chair, can bundle several amendments together. These amendments must already be listed in part B of the Rules Committee report. The bundle gets 20 minutes of debate. That time splits evenly between the majority and minority side of the Appropriations Committee. Lawmakers cannot change the bundled amendments, except in one case allowed by section 9. Members also cannot force a vote to split the bundle into separate parts.
Who this affects
This affects members of the U.S. House, especially those on the Appropriations Committee who manage floor debate.
Tradeoff
Bundling amendments saves floor time and speeds up the process, but it limits each lawmaker's chance to debate or change individual amendments on their own.
Show the exact bill text
It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting of amendments printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution not earlier disposed of.
Extra debate time for committee leaders
This section sets a rule for debate on H.R. 8595, a spending bill. It lets the top Republican and top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, or people they pick, offer up to 10 "pro forma" amendments each. A pro forma amendment does not change the bill. It just gives the speaker more time to talk. This rule lets these two leaders control extra debate time during the amendment process.
Who this affects
This mainly affects the chair and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee. It also affects other House members, since it shapes how long they can debate the bill.
Tradeoff
This gives committee leaders more control over debate time, but it can also slow down the amendment process for everyone else.
Show the exact bill text
During consideration of H.R. 8595 for amendment, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for the purpose of debate.
How debate ends on the H.R. 8595 spending bill
This section sets the rules for finishing work on H.R. 8595, a spending bill. After lawmakers finish debating and adding changes, the committee must stop and send the bill back to the full House. The House will then vote on final passage. Members cannot make more changes or raise other motions first. The only allowed step is one motion to send the bill back for more work, called a motion to recommit.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives and how they can debate and vote on H.R. 8595. It also affects the public, since it controls how a spending bill becomes law.
Tradeoff
This process speeds up passage of the bill, but it limits how much lawmakers can debate or change it before the final vote.
Show the exact bill text
At the conclusion of consideration of H.R. 8595 for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the House with such amendments as may have been adopted. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and amendments thereto to final passage without intervening motion except one motion to recommit.
Rules for debating the disability insurance test program bill
This section sets the ground rules for House debate on a separate bill, H.R. 8884. That bill would let the Social Security Administration keep running test programs for disability insurance. This section does not decide what those test programs do. Instead, it controls how the House will debate and vote on the bill. It waives objections to considering the bill. It replaces the committee's version of the bill with a different version, from Rules Committee Print 119-34. It allows one hour of debate, split between the two parties on the Ways and Means Committee. It also allows one motion to send the bill back for changes (a motion to recommit).
Who this affects
This affects House lawmakers and how they debate H.R. 8884. It also indirectly affects people who receive or apply for Social Security disability benefits, since that bill involves test programs for disability insurance.
Tradeoff
This process lets the House move the disability insurance bill forward quickly, but it limits full committee review and open amendments.
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Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 8884) to amend title II of the Social Security Act to reauthorize demonstration authority for the disability insurance program. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived.
Fast-track debate rules for a tax cut anniversary resolution
This section sets rules for how the House will handle a separate resolution, H. Res. 1383. That resolution marks one year since the Working Families Tax Cuts became law. This section lets the House take up that resolution right away. It skips normal procedural objections. It also says a preamble change from the Rules Committee counts as already approved. Debate is limited to one hour. That hour is split evenly between the Ways and Means Committee's chair and its top minority member.
Who this affects
This affects how House members debate and vote on the tax cut anniversary resolution. It mainly affects lawmakers and committee leaders, not the public directly.
Tradeoff
Fast-track rules save time and avoid delay tactics, but they also limit debate and reduce chances for members to raise objections or offer changes.
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Upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order without intervention of any point of order to consider in the House the resolution (H. Res. 1383) commemorating the one-year anniversary of the enactment of the Working Families Tax Cuts.
Setting aside an earlier House resolution
This section deals with a different resolution, House Resolution 1377. It says that resolution is "laid on the table." This is a formal way to say the House will drop it. The resolution will not move forward. It will not get a vote or more debate.
Who this affects
This affects House lawmakers and anyone tracking House Resolution 1377. It does not directly affect the public.
Tradeoff
Setting the resolution aside clears the way for other business, but it also ends any chance for that resolution to be debated or voted on.
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13. House Resolution 1377 is laid on the table.
Merging another bill into H.R. 8800
This section gives instructions to the Clerk of the House. The Clerk must take the text of a separate bill, S. 1383, and add it to the end of H.R. 8800. This happens after the House passes H.R. 8800 and prepares it for the Senate. The Clerk must also number the new sections correctly. The Clerk must fix cross-references and short titles so everything matches. The Clerk can also make small technical fixes. These include spelling, punctuation, page numbers, and headings.
Who this affects
This mainly affects how Congress processes these two bills. It does not directly affect ordinary citizens, but it changes what final law text will include.
Tradeoff
Combining the bills speeds up passage of both, but it means lawmakers vote on one large package instead of reviewing each bill separately.
Show the exact bill text
In the engrossment of H.R. 8800, the Clerk shall— (a) add the text of S. 1383, as passed by the House, as new matter at the end of H.R. 8800; (b) assign appropriate designations to provisions within the engrossment; (c) conform cross-references and provisions for short titles within the engrossment; and (d) be authorized to make technical corrections, to include corrections in spelling, punctuation, page and line numbering, section numbering, and insertion of appropriate headings within the engrossment.
Citations
Congress.gov bill text: link (retrieved 2026-07-10)
Public record
Below is the official voting record from Congress.gov. It is not our analysis.
Source: Congress.gov
House: Yea-and-Nay
PassedJune 30, 2026
On Ordering the Previous Question
Yea215
Nay210
Present0
Not Voting6
See how each representative voted (431)
How each representative voted on On Ordering the Previous Question. Default ordering: by state, then by name.