House Narrowly Passes $47B State Department Spending Bill as Graham's Sister Is Sworn In to the Senate
The House on July 15 passed the fiscal 2027 National Security, State Department and Related Programs Appropriations Act by a near-party-line 217-209 vote, while the Senate seated Darline Graham Nordone, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, as South Carolina's first female senator.
The House's main business over the past two days centered on foreign affairs spending. The National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $47.32 billion, which is $2.69 billion (6%) below the fiscal 2026 enacted level. Republicans framed it as an "America First" measure. Within the cuts, the bill maintains funding for allies such as Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Taiwan and targets adversaries including China, Iran, Cuba, and drug cartels.
The floor debate produced sharp fights over Israel and the United Nations. An amendment by Rep. Thomas Massie to prohibit funds for Israel and cut $3.3 billion from Foreign Military Financing failed 104-314, and a Rep. Chip Roy amendment barring any funds to the United Nations failed 136-291. Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton was among those who broke to support the Israel-funding cut. Moulton said he would vote for the Massie amendment to remove the Israel funding, arguing the U.S. could not continue to condone Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions. A White House statement of administration policy backed the bill while flagging concerns. The administration said it supports advancing the legislation but looks forward to addressing concerns before enactment, noting the bill would provide $47.3 billion.
Earlier in the week, the House cleared two other measures. The Sunshine Protection Act, which would end the twice-yearly clock change, passed with bipartisan support. H.R. 1181, the Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, passed 221-201, with 215 Republicans in favor and 200 Democrats opposed.
In the Senate, the biggest development was the succession to Lindsey Graham, the influential South Carolina Republican and Trump ally who died over the weekend at 71. His death was attributed to an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings released by his office. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, a political newcomer. McMaster said Nordone would serve the remaining months on Graham's current term, which expires in January, and she will be the first woman to represent the state in the U.S. Senate. Sources differ slightly on timing: PBS and CNBC reported she was to be sworn in Wednesday, while Al Jazeera reported she was sworn in Tuesday. A special election will be held next month to pick a new Republican nominee, with a one-week filing period beginning July 21.
The Senate spent the period on nominations and defense policy. The Senate voted to advance Jeffrey Kuntz's nomination to be a U.S. district court judge for the Southern District of Florida. Senators also began considering the motion to proceed to S. 4784, the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, but by 50-46 rejected cloture on that motion, falling short of the required three-fifths. By unanimous consent, the Senate also passed S. 2120, reauthorizing the Older Americans Act through fiscal 2030. Separately, a House Appropriations subcommittee held a fiscal 2027 budget hearing on the Supreme Court, taking testimony from Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan.
Highlights: - The House passed H.R. 8595, the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2027, by 217-209, with 215 Republicans and one Democrat in favor and 208 Democrats opposed. - Three days after the sudden death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was sworn in to fill his vacant Senate seat at the suggestion of President Donald Trump. - The House on July 14 passed H.R. 139, the Sunshine Protection Act, to make daylight saving time permanent, by 308-117.