The Senate authorized a record $886 billion in military spending by 2024 after passing the annual National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday.
The 3,000-page bill that must be passed received strong bipartisan support in the upper house, passing the Senate by a vote of 87 to 13.
It now heads to the House, which is expected to consider it before lawmakers return home for the holidays on Thursday.
The Democratic-controlled Senate sidestepped social issues important to conservative lawmakers, refusing to include provisions limiting abortion access and restricting transgender health care treatment for troops and their families, which were in the version of legislation passed earlier this year by the House.
A Pentagon policy that reimburses out-of-state travel for service members who undergo abortions was the impetus behind Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) 10-month protest, in which he blocked all military promotions for that policy.
Senators did not include House-passed provisions restricting access to abortion and health care for transgender people. C-SPAN
The legislation extends Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act through April 19.
The surveillance authority, which allows warrantless monitoring of foreigners in the United States, would expire at the end of December.
The bill also provides the largest raise for service members in more than two decades, increasing troop pay by 5.2% next year in an effort to increase military recruiting and retention.
The bill includes a 5.2% increase in troops’ base pay. AP
The 2024 NDAA, which sets the Pentagon’s spending priorities for the fiscal year, also calls for $11.5 billion to counter China in the Indo-Pacific and $800 million in military aid for Ukraine.
“At a time of enormous challenges for global security, passing the defense authorization bill is more important than ever,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on the floor before the vote.
“Passage of the NDAA allows us to hold the line against Russia, stand firm against the Chinese Communist Party, and ensure that America’s defenses remain state-of-the-art at all times.”
The legislation includes funds to deter China in the Indo-Pacific and money for Ukraine. AP
President Biden has asked Congress to approve an additional $61 billion in assistance for Ukraine by the end of the week.
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have signaled that the 81-year-old president’s emergency funding request for the war-torn country is unlikely to be approved anytime soon, amid GOP demands for that changes to US immigration law be included in the Ukraine aid bill. .
The NDAA bill also includes authorizations necessary to implement the trilateral AUKUS submarine sharing agreement between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
The agreement was signed in 2021 and called for the transfer of three American Virginia-class attack submarines to Australia.
“It will focus the Pentagon more squarely on addressing national security challenges rather than creating new ones with partisan social policies,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said of the legislation.
Six Republicans and six Democrats voted against passage of the bill, including Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah ) and Cynthia Lummis. (R-Wyo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), JD Vance (R-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) , Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also voted against the legislation.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn