To: Members of the House Committee on Armed Services
From: National Taxpayers Union
Date: June 4, 2026
Subject: NTU’s Views on the June 4 Committee Markup
I. Introduction and Key Taxpayer Considerations
On behalf of National Taxpayers Union, the nation’s oldest taxpayer advocacy organization, we write to express our alarm about our nation’s runaway defense spending. For too long, lawmakers of both parties have used national security exigencies to justify ever increasing largess to the Pentagon and its contractors, despite glaring evidence that our nation’s fiscal position is untenable. We urge lawmakers to safeguard taxpayer dollars as much as possible throughout the markup process.
II. NTU’s views on H.R. 8800 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
NTU commends the Committee’s efforts to revitalize and expand our national defense industrial base. We support the goal of ensuring the U.S. military remains the most effective fighting force in the world. However, we also acknowledge that our nation’s bloated approach to military spending is unsustainable and woefully misaligned with both budgetary and national security realities. At $1.15 trillion, this is the largest NDAA funding allocation ever proposed. This represents nearly a 30% increase compared to last year’s enacted levels, which came in at $890 billion. Yet, beyond the eye-watering topline number, NTU is also concerned by several provisions in this legislation that could burden taxpayers:
Limiting the Use of “Lowest Price Technically Acceptable” (LPTA)
NTU appreciates the need to balance price and quality in military procurement. However, limiting the use of LPTA in awarding new contracts for hardware reduces downward pressure on prices. At a time when rapid technology change is reshaping the modern battlefield, small upstarts offering nimble systems such as low-cost drones can be a taxpayer-friendly solution compared to the more expensive legacy systems offered by established defense giants. Smaller defense companies should be allowed to compete on price, and LPTA is an important part of that selection process.
Multiyear Procurement for Certain Munitions
Any national security strategy worth its salt requires a long-term time horizon that spans years, if not decades. However, when it comes to actually paying for new weapons, Congress usually approves purchases on an annual basis, which allows for consistent and regular oversight. Provisions in this legislation that enable multiyear procurement contracts effectively guarantee years of elevated spending that future Congresses cannot easily cut.
Domestic Preference for Procuring Professional Services
International crises in recent years have underscored the need to develop and maintain resilient supply chains. Nevertheless, maintaining “Buy American” provisions that maximize the federal government’s use of goods and services produced and offered in the United States is oftentimes a disservice to taxpayers. Holding aside any national security concerns around sensitive technologies or resources, shutting out foreign competition in the bidding process restricts procurement options and raises prices. Furthermore, these protectionist measures also encourage our trading partners to enact retaliatory barriers to U.S. exports.
III. Contact Information
Should you have any questions about the recommendations in this memo, please do not hesitate to reach out to Alexander Ciccone at aciccone@ntu.org.