US Senate approves draft Defense budget for 2024
On Thursday, the US Senate passed the draft defense budget for next year, but its final approval is expected to face problems in the House of Representatives.
Reuters reported this.
The Democrat-controlled Senate passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by 86 to 11 votes, with strong support from both Democrats and Republicans.
The NDAA for FY2024, which authorizes a record $886 billion in spending, is one of the few major bills that Congress passes each year. It governs everything from military pay raises - this year it will be 5.2% - to ship and aircraft purchases, as well as policies such as support for Ukraine.
The NDAA has been passed every year since 1961, usually with strong bipartisan support. But this year, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed its version of the bill by a narrow 219-210 margin after far-right Republicans added amendments addressing thorny social issues, such as repealing the Pentagon's policy of reimbursing service members traveling to get an abortion.
Author - Olena Madiak, 28/07/2023
