The House of Representatives supported the 2023 defense budget bill

The House of Representatives has backed a bill that could raise the defense budget next year to $858 billion, $45 billion more than President Joe Biden had proposed.

For the compromise version of the “National Defense Authorization Act,” or NDAA, an annual bill to be passed that sets Pentagon policy, 350 congressmen in the House voted for it and 80 against it. This far exceeds the two-thirds majority needed to pass the bill and send it to the Senate for consideration.

The NDAA for fiscal year 2023 authorizes $858 billion in military spending and includes a 4.6 percent pay raise for military personnel, funding for weapons, ship and aircraft purchases, and support for Taiwan, which faces aggression from China, and Ukraine, which is fighting a Russian invasion.

“This bill is an exercise of Congress’ authorization and oversight powers,” said Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith.

Because it is one of the few major bills passed each year, members of Congress are using the NDAA as a tool to implement a range of initiatives, some of which are not directly related to defense.

This year’s bill, the result of months of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, required a two-thirds majority in the House after disagreement from some House members over whether to include a voting rights amendment.

The NDAA for fiscal year 2023 includes a provision to repeal the mandate requiring military personnel to be vaccinated against COVID-19, which many Republicans have demanded.

It provides Ukraine with at least $800 million in additional security assistance and includes several provisions aimed at strengthening Taiwan’s defense amid tensions with China.

The bill authorizes the allocation of additional funds for the development of new weapons and the purchase of systems, including Lockheed Martin fighter jets and ships manufactured by General Dynamics.