The US House of Representatives voted 215-214 to approve a measure that would make approval the default outcome when qualified service members and Pentagon civilian employees ask commanders for permission to carry personal firearms on military bases. The provision, part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), reflects a push by gun-rights supporters to expand personal firearm access on installations, and its narrow passage highlights how divisive the issue remains even within a Republican-controlled chamber.

The measure passed by the slimmest of margins, with three Democrats crossing over to support it while three Republicans voted against it, underscoring that the vote did not fall along strict party lines. It comes as the House also grapples with a broader, packed legislative agenda, including a stopgap funding measure and a $95 billion budget framework, with Speaker Mike Johnson vowing lawmakers will not leave Washington early despite the workload.