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U.S. Senate passes record $858 billion defense act, sending bill to Biden

16 December 2022 04:28 (UTC +04:00)

The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Thursday authorizing a record $858 billion in annual defense spending, $45 billion more than proposed by President Joe Biden, and rescinding the military's COVID vaccine mandate, APA reports citing Reuters.

Senators supported the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual must-pass bill setting policy for the Pentagon, by an overwhelming 83-11 bipartisan majority.

The no votes came from a mix of liberals who object to the ever-rising military budget and fiscal conservatives who want tighter controls on spending.

With the House of Representatives having passed the measure last week, the NDAA next heads to the White House, where Biden is expected to quickly sign it into law.

The fiscal 2023 NDAA authorizes $858 billion in military spending and includes a 4.6% pay increase for the troops, funding for purchases of weapons, ships and aircraft, and support for Taiwan as it faces aggression from China and for Ukraine as it fights an invasion by Russia.

The vote meant Congress has passed the NDAA every year since 1961.

"This is the most important bill we do every year," said Senator James Inhofe, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement. This year's NDAA is named for Inhofe, who is retiring from the Senate.