Lobbying push to nix Pentagon defense contractor share buyback ban heats up

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas facility on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, as part of his "Arsenal of Freedom" industry tour. Amanda McCoy | Fort Worth Star-telegram | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Lobbying efforts to kill a proposed ban on some defense contractors buying back their own stock in a must-pass annual defense bill are heating up, as the House of Representatives begins to move the legislation this week. The prohibition, a version of which was included in the Senate's version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2027, is proposed as an amendment for the House Rules Committee to consider as it discusses the legislation Monday night. If it makes it into the final bill, it could upend how the Pentagon does business with its tens of thousands of contractors such as Boeing , Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman . Reps. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and John Garamendi, D-Calif., are proposing the amendment in the House, which is likely to vote on the NDAA later this week. Prior to the Rules Committee's meeting, industry groups led by the Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the committee urging it to reject the amendment. Signatories include the Chamber, the Aerospace Industries Association and Business Roundtable. …