"It is very important today that we have strong bipartisan support to send a clear message that if this legislation [National Defense Authorization Act] is vetoed, that this body and the House will override that veto," Hoeven said on the Senate floor.
President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the $612 billion defense spending bill because it leaves in place spending caps, or sequestration, that the president opposes.
The Senate and House will have to mount a two-thirds majority to override a presidential veto, and may still face an uphill battle passing the companion appropriations bill, which specifically funds the programs named in the Defense Authorization Act.
Historically, the US Congress has overridden fewer than ten percent of all presidential vetoes.
