Capitol Hill is preparing to vote on a Pentagon plan that would push total military funding to roughly $1.5 trillion and increase active-duty end strength by about 30,000 troops, a package supporters say is aimed at speeding weapons procurement and expanding force structure across the services. The proposal would represent about a 50% increase from current funding levels, according to ClearanceJobs News.
- What’s being considered: A Pentagon funding boost to about $1.5T, paired with an active-duty troop increase of ~30,000, according to ClearanceJobs News.
- Scale of change: The plan is described as roughly a 50% increase in Pentagon funding, per the report.
- Primary goals: Accelerate new weapons programs, expand force structure, and shift modernization priorities across most military services, ClearanceJobs News reported.
- Congressional action: Lawmakers are “set to vote” on the proposal, according to the report published Jan. 26, 2026.
- Who is affected: The changes would ripple across the services’ end-strength planning, procurement timelines, and program prioritization, as described by ClearanceJobs News.
Context: The proposal lands as Congress continues its annual cycle of defense decision-making that typically runs on two tracks: policy direction through authorization legislation and funding through appropriations. ClearanceJobs News framed the current package as unusually large, with both a major topline increase and a targeted end-strength expansion intended to reshape readiness and modernization at the same time.
For federal employees and service members, the immediate watch items are how any end-strength increase is allocated across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force—and whether Congress ties the additional funding to specific procurement programs, readiness accounts, or personnel growth. Those details typically determine downstream impacts such as recruiting targets, unit activations, training pipelines, and equipment fielding schedules.
The ClearanceJobs News report did not specify which committees or named lawmakers are leading the push, nor did it list a vote date beyond indicating an upcoming Capitol Hill vote. Additional details are expected as legislative text, committee summaries, or floor schedules become public.
Source: ClearanceJobs News (Jan. 26, 2026), “Capitol Hill to Vote on Pentagon’s $1.5T Military Budget and 30,000-Troop Increase,” https://news.clearancejobs.com/2026/01/26/capitol-hill-to-vote-on-pentagons-1-5t-military-budget-and-30000-troop-increase/