U.S. Senate Passes $700 Billion Military Spending Bill

The Senate passed a roughly $700 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on September 18, 2017, with a final vote of 89 to 8.

The NDAA, which sets forth the Pentagon's budget and major programs for the next fiscal year, does authorize an additional $8.5 billion for the Missile Defense Agency to strengthen homeland, regional and space missile defense. That authorization is $630 million above the Trump administration's request.

The 2018 national defense bill also authorizes just over $141 billion for military personnel costs, including costs of pay, bonuses, benefits and moving expenses. It provides a 2.1% increase in pay for troops.

The legislation also includes money to increase troop numbers above the White House's request, adding thousands of new members to the Army and Marine Corps as well as boosting reserve totals.

Also in the final version for the defense bill is a provision that allows the Department of Defense from using security software products from Russian-based Kaspersky Labs.

In all, more than 300 amendments were proposed for the Senate's NDAA.

The final Senate version of the 1,215-page bill includes a base budget of $640 billion and another $60 billion for the so-called Overseas Contingency Operations war funding, which includes money for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations.

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References

Congress.gov. (2017). Text - H.R.2810 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018. [online] Available at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2810/text [Accessed 26 Sep. 2017].

Daniels, J. (2017). Senate passes $700 billion defense policy bill. [online] CNBC. Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/18/senate-passes-700-billion-defense-policy-bill-backing-trump-call-for-steep-increase-in-military-spending.html [Accessed 26 Sep. 2017].