Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3838) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3486) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for individuals who illegally enter and reenter the United States after being removed, and for other purposes.

Bill Number: H.Res. 682
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Congress
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2025-09-09: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T20:39:31Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

H. Res. 682 is a procedural resolution adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 9, 2025. Its main goal is to establish special rules for floor consideration of two bills: H.R. 3838 (authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for Department of Defense military activities, military construction, Department of Energy defense activities, and military personnel strengths) and H.R. 3486 (amending the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for illegal entry and reentry after removal). The resolution streamlines debate, amendments, and voting to expedite passage without standard procedural hurdles.

Key Provisions

Consideration of H.R. 3838 (National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2026):
The Speaker may declare the House in the Committee of the Whole (a procedural setup for debating bills) at any time after adoption.
The bill's first reading is skipped, and all objections (points of order) to its consideration are waived.
Debate is limited to 1 hour, equally divided between the Armed Services Committee chair and ranking minority member (or designees), focused on the bill and specified amendments.
An amendment in the nature of a substitute (replacing the bill's text with Rules Committee Print 119-8) is automatically adopted, treating the amended bill as the original for further changes.
Amendments are restricted to those printed in Part A of the Rules Committee's report or "en bloc" packages (groups of amendments offered together by the Armed Services chair or designee).
Individual amendments from Part A: Offered only by designated members, in specified order, considered read, debatable for set times (divided equally), non-amendable, and not subject to division votes.
En bloc amendments: Debatable for 40 minutes (equally divided), non-amendable, and not subject to division votes; all prior objections waived.
After amendment consideration, the Committee rises, reports the bill to the House, and orders the previous question (ending debate) for final passage, allowing only a motion to recommit (send back to committee).

Consideration of H.R. 3486 (Immigration Penalties Bill):
Immediately after resolution adoption, the bill is considered in the full House.
All objections to consideration are waived.
The Judiciary Committee's recommended substitute amendment, modified by Part B of the Rules report, is automatically adopted, treating the amended bill as read; objections to its provisions are waived.
Debate is limited to 1 hour, equally divided between the Judiciary Committee chair and ranking minority member (or designees).
The previous question is ordered for final passage, allowing only a motion to recommit.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This resolution does not directly amend existing laws; it is a House rule governing internal procedures. However, it introduces temporary changes to standard House rules by:

Waiving points of order (formal objections based on rules like germaneness or budget impacts).
Limiting amendments to pre-approved ones, reducing open-floor changes.
Shortening debate and automating substitute adoptions, which accelerates the process compared to regular order under House Rule XVIII (governing committee-of-the-whole proceedings).

These procedural tweaks effectively modify how H.R. 3838 and H.R. 3486 are handled, potentially embedding specific policy texts (e.g., Rules Committee Print 119-8 for defense) without full debate.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: Speeds authorization of $800+ billion (estimated) in defense funding for FY 2026, affecting Department of Defense operations, military construction, Energy Department nuclear programs, and personnel levels (e.g., troop strengths). For immigration, it could enhance enforcement resources for agencies like Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Citizens: Indirectly supports military families and national security through funding stability; for immigration, increases penalties (e.g., fines, imprisonment) for repeat illegal entries, potentially deterring border crossings but raising concerns for affected communities.
On International Relations: Defense provisions could influence U.S. alliances (e.g., NATO funding) and deterrence postures; immigration changes may strain relations with neighboring countries like Mexico by toughening reentry penalties.

Overall, it facilitates quicker enactment, reducing delays in defense budgeting and immigration enforcement amid fiscal deadlines.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Congressional Members and Committees: Armed Services and Judiciary Committees lead debate; majority party controls amendment selection, potentially limiting minority input.
Military and Defense Personnel: Active-duty troops, veterans, and contractors benefit from authorized funding and personnel caps.
Immigration-Enforcement Agencies and Individuals: Border Patrol, ICE, and undocumented immigrants or deportees face stricter penalties for reentry.
Taxpayers and Budget Oversight Groups: Impacts federal spending priorities, with defense as a major budget item.
Energy and Construction Sectors: Department of Energy defense programs and military base builders gain funding clarity.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal/Procedural: Reinforces House majority control over the legislative agenda under Article I of the Constitution (Congress's rulemaking power), but waivers could invite challenges if seen as bypassing minority rights or Byrd Rule-like budget constraints (though not directly applicable here).
Constitutional: Aligns with separation of powers by enabling funding authorizations, essential for executive branch operations; immigration changes invoke Congress's plenary power over naturalization.
Political: Limits floor amendments to favor pre-vetted changes, which may streamline passage in a divided Congress but criticize as reducing bipartisanship or transparency. If enacted, H.R. 3838 ensures annual defense policy continuity, while H.R. 3486 advances enforcement priorities without broad debate, potentially polarizing views on immigration.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Scott, Austin [R-GA-8]

Recent Actions

2025-09-09: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2025-09-09: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 210 - 207 (Roll no. 243). (text: CR H3907) (Roll call 243)
2025-09-09: Passed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 210 - 207 (Roll no. 243). (text: CR H3907: 2) (Roll call 243)
2025-09-09: On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 213 - 207 (Roll no. 242). (Roll call 242)
2025-09-09: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3914)
2025-09-09: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 682, the Chair put the question on ordering the previous question and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Ms. Scanlon demanded the yeas and nays and Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
2025-09-09: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 682.
2025-09-09: Considered as privileged matter. (consideration: CR H3907)
2025-09-09: Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 43.
2025-09-09: The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 3838 under a structured rule and H.R. 3486 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate and one motion to recommit on each bill.
2025-09-09: The House Committee on Rules reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-255, by Mr. Scott, Austin.
2025-09-09: The House Committee on Rules reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-255, by Mr. Scott, Austin.

Bill Versions

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3838) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3486) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for individuals who illegally enter and reenter the United States after being removed, and for other purposes. — issued 2025-09-09 — PDF (4 pages)
Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3838) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3486) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for individuals who illegally enter and reenter the United States after being removed, and for other purposes. — issued 2025-09-09 — PDF (6 pages)