H.Res. 682 · 119th Congress · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
House Sets Debate Rules for Defense Funding Bill and Illegal Reentry Penalties Bill
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3838) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 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, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3486) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for individuals who illegally enter and reenter the
Sponsored by Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8] (R-GA)
Deep dive July 19, 2026
This measure sets the rules for House debate on two bills. One is a 2026 defense funding bill (H.R. 3838). The other would raise penalties for illegal entry and reentry (H.R. 3486). It controls how much debate happens and which changes lawmakers can offer.
What to know
The rule swaps in a new version of the defense bill, called Rules Committee Print 119-8, as the official text.
Only pre-approved amendments to the defense bill can be offered, in a set order, by named members only.
The Armed Services Committee chair can bundle several amendments together for one 40-minute debate.
After committee work ends, the House votes on the defense bill with no more debate, except one final motion to recommit.
For the illegal reentry bill, the House will debate a Judiciary Committee version for one hour, split between parties.
Both processes block most objections, which speeds up votes but limits chances to challenge or change the bills.
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.
Blanket 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 anything inside the bill text stays in, even if it would normally be challenged. This is a small procedural line with a large effect.
Show the exact bill text
All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived.
Substitute text adopted in advance (Section 1)
Why we flagged this
The rule swaps the printed bill for a different text called Rules Committee Print 119-8. That new text counts as adopted before any floor vote on it. The full contents of that print are not shown here. Members and the public cannot see the exact language from this resolution alone.
Show the exact bill text
an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119–8 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole
Waiver of points of order for the immigration bill (Section 5)
Why we flagged this
This rule also waives all points of order against the immigration bill. It treats a substitute text as already adopted. This limits the ability of members to challenge parts of the bill under House rules. It is easy to miss but affects what stays in the final text.
Show the exact bill text
The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived.
Section by section
Rules for debating the defense bill
This section sets the ground rules for how the House will debate H.R. 3838, the big defense funding bill for 2026. It lets the Speaker move the House into a special debate mode called the Committee of the Whole. It skips a normal reading step. It blocks objections that could stop debate from starting. Debate is limited to one hour, split evenly between the Armed Services Committee's leaders from both parties. After that, the House swaps in a new version of the bill, called Rules Committee Print 119-8, in place of the committee's original text. That new version becomes the official bill going forward. Members can still offer amendments to it under a rule that limits each speech to five minutes. It also blocks objections against parts of the new bill text.
Who this affects
This affects members of Congress and how they debate and change the defense bill. It indirectly affects anyone impacted by defense spending, since it shapes what version of the bill gets voted on.
Tradeoff
Waiving objections and swapping in a new bill text speeds up debate, but it limits chances to block or challenge parts of the bill before a vote.
Show the exact bill text
In lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Armed Services now printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119–8 shall be considered as adopted in the House and in the Committee of the Whole.
Rules for offering amendments to the defense bill
This section sets strict rules for changing H.R. 3838, a defense funding bill. Only amendments listed in a Rules Committee report can be offered. Each amendment must be offered in the exact order listed. Only the member named in the report can offer it. Debate time is limited and split evenly between supporters and opponents. Members cannot change these amendments further. Members also cannot split the amendments into separate questions. This section also blocks procedural objections against these amendments or against grouped amendments.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives who want to change the defense bill. It controls how debate happens on the House floor.
Tradeoff
This process speeds up debate and limits floor chaos, but it also limits which changes lawmakers can propose and how much they can debate them.
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No further amendment to H.R. 3838, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution and amendments en bloc described in section 3 of this resolution.
Grouping defense bill amendments for one vote
This section sets rules for the defense funding bill debate. It lets the Armed Services Committee chair (or a designee) bundle several pre-approved amendments together. These bundled amendments get one 40-minute debate. That time is split evenly between the chair and the top opposing member. Lawmakers cannot change the bundled amendments once they are offered. They also cannot force a vote on splitting the bundle into separate parts.
Who this affects
House lawmakers debating the 2026 defense funding bill (H.R. 3838), especially members of the Armed Services Committee.
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
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, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.
Rules for finishing debate on the defense bill
This section sets the steps for wrapping up work on H.R. 3838, a defense funding bill. After lawmakers finish debating and offering changes in committee, the committee must send the bill back to the full House. Any further changes made in committee go with it. The House will then vote on the bill without more debate. The only exception is one final motion, called a motion to recommit, which lets a lawmaker try to send the bill back for changes one last time before the final vote.
Who this affects
This affects members of the House of Representatives as they process the defense funding bill. It also affects the public, since it shapes how quickly and openly the bill is debated.
Tradeoff
This process speeds up passage of the bill, but it limits chances for more open debate or added changes.
Show the exact bill text
At the conclusion of consideration of H.R. 3838 for amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill, as amended, to the House with such further amendments as may have been adopted. 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 illegal reentry penalties bill
This section sets the rules for how the House will debate a different bill, H.R. 3486. That bill would raise penalties for people who enter the U.S. illegally or reenter after being removed. This section does not change immigration law itself. Instead, it says the House will use a Judiciary Committee version of the bill, with one more change from the Rules Committee. It blocks most objections to the bill's process. It allows one hour of debate, split between the two parties on the Judiciary Committee. It also allows one motion to send the bill back for changes, called a motion to recommit.
Who this affects
This affects House lawmakers, by setting how they can debate and change H.R. 3486. It indirectly affects people facing illegal entry or reentry charges, since that separate bill would raise their penalties.
Tradeoff
This process lets the House move faster to a final vote, but it limits members' chances to raise objections or offer changes to the bill.
Show the exact bill text
All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part B of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, shall be considered as adopted.
Citations
Congress.gov bill text: link (retrieved 2026-07-19)
Public record
Below is the official voting record from Congress.gov. It is not our analysis.
Source: Congress.gov
House: Recorded Vote
PassedSeptember 9, 2025
On Agreeing to the Resolution
Yea210
Nay207
Present0
Not Voting14
Showing 424 of 435 representatives. One representative's record is being reconciled, usually a newly seated member (appointment, special election) between roster updates. The vote tally above is complete. Typically resolves within a day.
See how each representative voted (424)
How each representative voted on On Agreeing to the Resolution. Default ordering: by state, then by name.
Showing 423 of 435 representatives. One representative's record is being reconciled, usually a newly seated member (appointment, special election) between roster updates. The vote tally above is complete. Typically resolves within a day.
See how each representative voted (423)
How each representative voted on On Ordering the Previous Question. Default ordering: by state, then by name.