The House voted on the final passage of a sweeping defense policy bill Thursday, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk despite opposition from Freedom Caucus conservatives.
The Senate approved the $886 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024 by a vote of 87 to 13 Wednesday night after overturning last-minute hiccups, including efforts to strip a four-month extension to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) from the bill and to include a provision from the House version of the bill into the final report overturning the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy. However, the The House Freedom Caucus criticized the bill, saying the Democrat-controlled Senate shoved it through the reconciliation process and stripped a number of “anti-woke” amendments.
“Today’s passage underscores our ironclad commitment to the people who bravely serve our country and their families, and our unshakable resolve to provide for a strong national security and national defense,” House Armed Services Ranking Member Democratic Rep. Adam Smith of Washington said in a statement upon the bill’s passage. “This year’s annual defense bill supports the Biden Administration’s proposed 5.2 percent pay raise for service members and invests billions of dollars in other key quality of life issues including housing, child care, career opportunities, and health care.”
The vote in the House came out 310 to 118, with 73 Republicans opposing it compared to 45 Democrats.
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas led a motion to adjourn the vote on the NDAA, which was voted against 307 to 23.
Overall, the NDAA authorizes a 5.2% pay raise for troops — less that what Republicans had hoped for — and an array of provisions related to service member benefits, health care and quality of life, according to a summary.
It also creates an independent inspector general for U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.
The bill is an increase of $28 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of Energy over the fiscal year 2023 bill, according to CNN.
Included was a controversial provision to extend FISA’s Section 702, which allows U.S. intelligence agencies to gather incidental data on Americans while surveying foreign targets operating within the United States, generating concern over illegal spying on American citizens.
Micaela Burrow on December 14, 2023
