WASHINGTON: More than two-thirds of the US House of Representatives voted in favor of a defense policy bill on Thursday governing a record $886 billion in annual military spending and authorizing policies such as aid for Ukraine and push back against China in the Indo-Pacific.
The House backed the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, by 310 to 118, with strong support from Republicans and Democrats. It was more than the two-thirds majority required to pass the measure and send it to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law.
Separate from the appropriations bills that set government spending levels, the NDAA authorises everything from pay raises for troops – this year’s will be 5.2 percent – to purchases of ships, ammunition and aircraft.
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Because it is one of the few major pieces of legislation that becomes law every year, members of Congress use it as a vehicle for a wide range of initiatives. It is also closely watched by major defense companies, such as Lockheed Martin, RTX Corp and other firms that receive Department of Defense contracts.
This year’s bill is nearly 3,100 pages long, authorizing a record $886 billion, up 3 percent from last year.
