House panel rejects data center, offshore drilling amendments to NDAA
The House Armed Services Committee rejected a Democratic amendment regarding data centers during its markup of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill. This decision prevents specific data center-related provisions from being included in the current version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The overall bill, which includes other energy and environmental priorities, advanced with bipartisan support.
The House Armed Services Committee voted 44-12 to advance its version of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 8800, after a daylong markup session. During the session, lawmakers adopted numerous bipartisan amendments concerning critical minerals, weather resilience, and chemical cleanups.
However, Democratic amendments related to data centers and offshore energy production were dismissed. The bill, a bipartisan compromise sponsored by Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and ranking member Adam Smith (D-Wash.), includes provisions directing the Department of Defense to address energy and environmental issues, such as rising electricity prices, nuclear power, and environmental remediation, all aimed at bolstering military readiness and national security. The NDAA will now move to the House floor for further amendment votes, while the Senate plans to unveil its own version next week, with the goal of finalizing the defense policy bill by year-end.