BURSTThe Senate on Thursday passed its massive annual defense policy bill after lawmakers reached a deal earlier in the day to unlock the stalled legislation.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed on a 77-20 vote. It had passed the House last month, and now the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services panels are on the clock to negotiate a compromise bill before the end of the year.
The NDAA came to the Senate floor in early September but had seen little movement since, until Thursday morning. Action on the bill was stalled as all 100 senators must agree to hold votes on amendments, with several sticking points causing a handful of lawmakers to halt the process.
But Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) secured an agreement to vote on 17 stand-alone amendments and a manager’s package of nearly 50 less controversial amendments. Votes were held throughout Thursday evening.
Among the issues that were resolved was a roadblock posed by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who stalled the NDAA over a bipartisan proposal to scrutinize U.S. investments in China. She reportedly agreed to allow the bill to advance after receiving assurances that senators would address concerns raised by Microsoft, one of her state’s biggest employers, over the amendment.
Another dropped effort was Sen. Ruben Gallego’s (D-Ariz.) insistence that senators vote on his amendment to label Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt — who was shot and killed by police while attempting to enter a restricted area of the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection — ineligible for military funeral honors, Politico reported.
Among the amendments that passed was a repeal of the laws authorizing the use of military force (AUMF) in Iraq, which the House also approved. It was approved by voice vote.