WASHINGTON — The House headed toward a final vote Wednesday on a sweeping defense bill that would authorize $900 billion for military programs, including pay raises for military personnel and an overhaul of how the Defense Department buys weapons.
Voting takes place at the moment increased friction between the Republican-controlled Congress and President Donald Trump administration over the management of the armed forces.
The annual National Defense Authorization Act typically receives bipartisan support, and the White House has signaled “strong support” for the mandatory legislation, saying it fits with Trump's national security agenda. However, buried within the more than 3,000-page bill are several measures that antagonize the Department of Defense, including requiring more information on boat strikes in the Caribbean and support for allies in Europe such as Ukraine.
Overall, the sweeping bill would provide a 3.8% pay increase for many military personnel, as well as improved housing conditions and facilities on military bases. It also provides a compromise between the political parties – scaling back climate and diversity efforts in line with Trump's agenda, while increasing congressional oversight of the Pentagon and eliminating several old war authorizations. Still, conservatives said they were disappointed that the bill did not do more to reduce U.S. commitments abroad.
“We need a ready, capable and lethal fighting force because the threats to our country, especially from China, are more complex and serious than at any time in the last 40 years,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
Lawmakers who oversee the Army said the bill would change how The Pentagon buys weaponswith an emphasis on speed after years of delays by the defense industry. This is also a key priority for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the Armed Services panel, called the bill “the most ambitious step in acquisition reform we've taken.”
Smith complained that the bill doesn't do as much as Democrats would like to rein in the Trump administration, but called it “a step in the right direction toward restoring the authority of Congress.”
“My biggest concern is that the Pentagon, run by Secretary Hegseth and President Trump, is simply not accountable to Congress or the law,” he said.
The bill then heads to the Senate, where leaders are working to pass it before lawmakers leave Washington for the holidays.
Several senators on both sides of the aisle criticized the bill for not doing enough to limit military flights over Washington. They pushed for reforms after Mid-air collision Earlier this year, a collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner killed all 67 people aboard the two planes near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington. The National Transportation Safety Board also opposed this section of the bill.
That's what the defense bill does when it goes through Congress.
Lawmakers included a provision that would cut Hegseth's travel budget by a quarter until the Pentagon provides Congress with unedited video of strikes on suspected drug boats near Venezuela. Legislators assert their oversight role after Strike 2 September where US troops opened fire on two survivors who were clinging to a partially destroyed boat.
The bill also requires Hegseth to allow Congress to review strike orders.
Trump's continued support for Ukraine and other allies in Eastern Europe has been in question over the past year, but lawmakers included several positions designed to maintain U.S. support against Russian aggression in the region.
The defense bill requires the Pentagon to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment in Europe unless it consults with NATO allies and determines that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests. 80,000 to 100,000 American troops usually present on European soil. It also authorizes $400 million in each of the next two years for weapons production to be sent to Ukraine.
In addition, there is a provision for the stationing of American troops in South Koreasetting the minimum requirement at 28,500.
The bill would cut climate change-related spending by $1.6 billion, according to the House Armed Services Committee. US military assessments have long shown that climate change is national security threatbases are subject to hurricanes or regularly flood.
The bill would also save $40 million by repealing diversity, equity and inclusion offices, programs and training, the committee said. For example, the position of chief diversity officer will be eliminated.
Congress officially ended war in Iraq To revocation of permission for the 2003 invasion. Supporters in both the House and Senate say the repeal is critical to preventing future abuses and reaffirming that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the United States.
The 2002 resolution has been used rarely in recent years. But the first Trump administration cited it as part of its legal justification for the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassim Soleimani.
Congress will permanently lift US sanctions imposed on Syria after The Trump administration has temporarily waived many fines..
Lawmakers imposed economically crippling sanctions on the country in 2019 to punish former leader Bashar al-Assad for human rights abuses during the nearly 14-year civil war. After leading a successful insurgency to overthrow Assad, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa seeks restore your country's economy.
Supporters of the permanent lifting of sanctions say international companies are unlikely to invest in projects needed to rebuild the country while there is a threat of a return of sanctions.
Democrats criticized Johnson for removing from the bill a provision to expand coverage of in vitro fertilization for active-duty military personnel. An earlier version coated medical procedure known as IVFwhich helps people facing infertility have children.
