US Senate passes $895 billion defense authorization bill

The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 83-12, supporting the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), far exceeding the 60 votes needed in the 100-member Senate.

Despite including some controversial provisions such as banning gender-affirming care for transgender children of military personnel, the bill passed.

The US Senate passed the national defense authorization bill on December 16.

The bill authorizes a record $895 billion in annual military spending through 2025, including provisions for military equipment purchases and increased defense capabilities to compete with China and Russia.

The NDAA bill is more than 1,800 pages long. The annual defense authorization bill outlines the programs and policies the U.S. military can pursue, and the extent to which it can support them, through fiscal year 2025.

At the same time, the bill authorizes a 14.5% pay increase for the lowest-ranking soldiers and a 4.5% increase for the rest of the military, higher than the normal rate. It also authorizes the construction of military housing, schools and childcare centers.

Meanwhile, the bill would prohibit the military health program from paying for gender-affirming care for transgender children of service members, a practice that the law argues risks sterilization.

The inclusion of this provision in the bill establishing policy for the Department of Defense has emphasized the transgender issue as a central issue in American politics.

On December 11, the US House of Representatives also passed the latest version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2025.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 281 to 140. In total, 200 Republicans and 81 Democrats voted in favor of the bill, while 16 Republicans and 124 Democrats voted against it.

Kong Anh (Source: NDTV)

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