"Congress Approves Defense Spending Bill with Troop Pay Raise and Bonuses"

Congress passed the fiscal 2024 defense spending bill worth $825 billion, allowing the Pentagon to launch planned initiatives and procure key weapons systems after months of funding delays. The bill includes funds for ships, fighter jets, tankers, and hypersonic weapons, as well as multiyear contracts for critical munitions. It also allocates $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, but faces opposition from some Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, and internal party tensions.