U.S. Senate Okays Record $858-B Defense Bill

The US Senate has just passed legislation authorizing a record $858 billion in annual defense spending, $45 billion more than proposed by President Joe Biden, and rescinding the military's COVID vaccine mandate, Patricia Zengerle reported for Reuters.

Photo Insert: This year's NDAA is named after Senator James Inhofe, who is retiring from the Senate.

Senators supported the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual must-pass bill-setting policy for the Pentagon, by an overwhelming 83-11 bipartisan majority.

The no votes came from a mix of liberals who object to the ever-rising military budget and fiscal conservatives who want tighter controls on spending. With the House of Representatives having passed the measure last week, the NDAA next heads to the White House, where Biden is expected to quickly sign it into law.

The fiscal 2023 NDAA authorizes $858 billion in military spending and includes a 4.6% pay increase for the troops, funding for purchases of weapons, ships and aircraft, and support for Taiwan as it faces aggression from China and for Ukraine as it fights an invasion by Russia.

The vote meant Congress has passed the NDAA every year since 1961.

"This is the most important bill we do every year," said Senator James Inhofe, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement.

This year's NDAA is named after Inhofe, who is retiring from the Senate. Because it is one of the few major bills that always passes, lawmakers use the NDAA as a vehicle for a range of initiatives.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic