House lawmakers passed the NDAA in a vote of 350-80, advancing the legislation to consideration by the Senate, who is slated to pass it before the end of the year. The bill required a two-thirds majority to advance, and received both bipartisan support and opposition, with 45 Democrats and 35 Republicans voting against it.
The $847.3 billion discretionary funding topline for Fiscal Year 2023 included in the NDAA does not account for $11 billion in national defense authorizations outside the jurisdiction of the House Armed Services Committee. Congress is providing billions more than requested by US President Joe Biden.
Lawmakers included the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act in the NDAA, which would authorize up to $10 billion in security assistance to modernize Taiwan’s security capabilities. The legislation also includes $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative – $500 million more than requested by Biden for Ukraine.
The bill provides a 4.6% pay raise to US military service members and Defense Department civilian employees among other efforts to address cost of living increases amid rising inflation.
Moreover, the NDAA extends a ban on military-to-military cooperation with Russia for five years and prohibits funds from being used to recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and other territories separated from Ukraine.
The bill also includes a measure to sanction individuals engaged in significant transactions of gold with Russia.
Republican lawmakers were successful in their push to include a measure compelling Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, although they are still seeking reinstatement and back pay for persons separated from service.
Congress is also slated to pass either an omnibus funding bill or continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown that could begin after December 16. Austin has called for Congress to pass a full-year spending bill in order to enable new defense projects and investments.
Some Republicans have instead proposed passing a short-term continuing resolution to allow the next Congress, the lower chamber of which they will control, to craft a budget.