Senate Approves Defense Bill, Avoiding Controversial Culture War Measures

The Senate has passed a compromise defense policy bill, removing controversial provisions on abortion and transgender troops. The $886 billion legislation will now go to the House for a vote before reaching President Joe Biden. The bill faced little obstruction in the Senate but may face resistance from conservatives in the House due to the exclusion of their social policy priorities. The compromise bill includes conservative wins such as a pay cap and hiring freeze for defense employees involved in diversity programs, as well as provisions against critical race theory and unapproved flags at military installations. The bill also includes provisions related to Ukraine assistance and the AUKUS submarine-sharing pact.