WASHINGTON — Denying a military funding bill was “serious” as the country entered its fifth month at war with terrorist sponsor Iran, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids refused to support the House’s fiscal year 2027 military authorization on July 22, focusing instead on re-instating LGBTQ specialization on a nationwide suicide prevention hotline.
Davids’ “no” vote was the only one cast among Kansas’ four-member House delegation and continues her pattern of opposing major military defense measures in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Davids, a Democrat representing Kansas’ 3rd District, voted against H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. Kansas Republican Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Derek Schmidt all voted for the bill. The measure passed narrowly, 216-212. It was supported by 209 Republicans, six Democrats and one independent. Davids joined 204 other Democrats and seven Republicans in voting against it.
The FY2027 NDAA authorizes approximately $1.15 trillion in discretionary national-security spending and establishes military policy for the coming fiscal year. Supporters said the legislation would increase military compensation, improve housing, education and childcare for military families, rebuild weapons stockpiles and strengthen the nation’s defense-industrial base.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, said after passage that “our national security depends on a ready, capable, and well-equipped fighting force backed by a robust and innovative defense industrial base.” The committee also said the legislation would provide troops with needed resources while eliminating nearly $30 billion in waste and inefficient spending.
Although the NDAA is commonly described as a military funding bill, it does not directly provide the Pentagon with budget authority. An NDAA authorizes military programs, policies and spending levels; separate defense appropriations legislation supplies the actual money. Three of Davids’ previous “no” votes were on those direct Department of Defense appropriations bills.
Democratic opposition to H.R. 8800 centered largely on its total cost and Trump-favored amendments such as provisions for the the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) America Act.
A statement from Davids’ office to The Kansas Informer said “Our service members deserve a serious defense bill that gives them the resources and support they need,” while criticizing the bill’s expense and amendments. The vote on the bill came a day after Davids published videos of her speech at a July 15 Capitol Hill press conference criticizing the Trump administration for deleting a $30 million portion of the 988 national suicide prevention hotline catering specifically to LGBTQ youth. Davids posted a video July 22, the day of the funding vote, lamenting high prices and blaming the Trump administration for those woes.
Davids failure to support HR 8800 falls in line with a number of other pro-defense, pro-military measures she joined Democrats attempting to defeat:
- July 22, 2026 — H.R. 8800, FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act: Davids voted no. The authorization bill passed 216-212.
- Sept. 10, 2025 — H.R. 3838, FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act: Davids voted no on the initial House version. The bill passed 231-196.
- July 18, 2025 — H.R. 4016, Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY2026: Davids voted no on the bill providing direct annual Pentagon funding. It passed 221-209.
- Dec. 11, 2024 — H.R. 5009, final FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act agreement: Davids voted no. The final negotiated defense package passed 281-140.
- June 28, 2024 — H.R. 8774, Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY2025: Davids voted no on the direct Pentagon funding bill. It passed 217-198.
- June 14, 2024 — H.R. 8070, FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act: Davids voted no on the initial House version. It passed 217-199.
- Sept. 28, 2023 — H.R. 4365, Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY2024: Davids voted no on the direct military funding measure. It passed 218-210.
- July 14, 2023 — H.R. 2670, FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act: Davids voted no on the initial House bill. It passed 219-210.
She voted in favor of a final bipartisan FY2024 NDAA in December 2023 after the House and Senate negotiated a compromise. She also supported the final bipartisan FY2026 NDAA agreement in December 2025, after voting against the earlier House version.
Davids represents Johnson, Miami, Franklin, Anderson and portions of Wyandotte counties.
