On September 10 (US time), the US House of Representatives passed a defense policy bill worth nearly $900 billion called the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The bill received 231 votes in favor and 196 against, with the majority of Republicans voting in favor, with only 17 Democrats participating. The Republican majority has rejected proposals to limit President Donald Trump's authority to deploy troops in the country.
The NDAA focuses on reforming the Pentagon's arms procurement process, which has long been assessed as complex, ineffective and affecting the defense industry. The bill also includes some points that have received bipartisan consensus, such as extending the long-term security assistance program for Ukraine and raising nearly 3.8% of military salaries.
In addition, the bill that has just been passed by the House of Representatives has a provision to cancel the authorization to use military force in 1991 and 2002, which is related to the Gulf War and the Iraq War.
Another controversial content is the ban on the Tricare military health insurance program from paying for gender reassignment care. However, it is likely that these provisions will be removed when it is conducted to harmonize with the Senate version.
Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the House Military Commission, praised the move as a major step to modernize the military, support the armed forces and restore the US deterrence capabilities. Meanwhile, the Democrats strongly opposed, saying that many provisions go against the interests of soldiers and people.
The US Congress has previously approved a supplementary military funding package of $150 billion under President Trump's tax and health care cuts, including many items from the annual defense budget. Currently, other spending bills are still being negotiated to avoid the risk of the government having to close.
The US Senate will soon review a separate version of the NDAA before agreeing on the final bill, which is expected to be voted on in late fall.
