Senate Passes $858 Billion Defense-Policy Bill

According to foreign media reports December 15, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act NDAA with a total of $858 billion on the same day, which is $45 billion more than the budget proposed by President Biden. Members of the Senate from different parties voted 83 to 11 to pass the record defense budget. The House had already passed the defense authorization bill by an overwhelming margin on the 8th, and after the Senate passed it, it is pending for Biden’s signature to take effect.

The $858 billion military spending Bill for Fiscal Year 2023 includes a 4.6 percent pay rise for the military, the purchase of additional weapons, warships, and Fighter Jets, and support for Taiwan in resisting threats from mainland China and Ukraine in response to Russian aggression.

In the Indian Pacific region, the Bill will inject $11.5 billion into the Pacific Deterrence initiative to strengthen its operations and enhance U.S. military capabilities in the Indian and Pacific areas.

In repealing the Pentagon’s vaccination order for active-duty military members, Republican lawmakers have insisted that forcing active-duty personnel to be vaccinated is an overreach by the government, saying the policy has dampened morale. After months of negotiations, the two parties and the two chambers reached a compromise. The passing of the Bill is a Win-Win outcome.