All articles tagged with #defense spending bill
Senate Democrats blocked the $852 billion Defense appropriations bill, despite bipartisan support, as part of broader negotiations and disagreements over government funding, risking delays in military pay and national security funding amid ongoing government shutdown tensions.
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.
The compromise text of the fiscal 2024 defense spending bill, totaling $825 billion, includes funding for eight battle ships, new aircraft, and multiyear procurement for critical munitions. It also provides a small amount of Ukraine military aid, retains $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and allocates funds for various defense programs. The bill eliminates some Republican amendments and includes a boost to the Pentagon's Defense Innovation Unit, while cutting funding for the Defense Department civilian workforce.
The Senate passed a $95 billion emergency defense spending bill with 22 Republicans joining Senate Democrats, following an all-night filibuster. The bill includes funding for Ukraine and Israel, but faces uncertainty in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson indicated he would not put it up for a vote, and former President Trump and his allies oppose giving more money for Ukraine. The package also includes humanitarian assistance for Palestinians and funds for U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific.
The House of Representatives has approved an amendment from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to cut Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's salary to $1. Greene criticized Austin's performance and cited the Holman rule, which allows amendments to appropriations legislation that would reduce the salary of specific federal employees. Despite the inclusion of her amendment, Greene plans to vote against the defense spending bill due to its additional aid to Ukraine. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh stated that Austin remains focused on leading the Department of Defense and ensuring adequate resources for the military.
Disagreements within the House GOP over funding for Ukraine are threatening to derail Republicans' defense spending bill for a fourth time. Some GOP lawmakers oppose the $300 million in funding toward Ukraine included in the bill, as well as Ukraine funding in the bill for the State Department. Speaker Kevin McCarthy can only afford to lose a handful of votes to pass the bill, and the opposition to Ukraine funding also poses challenges for the Senate's stopgap funding proposal. Lawmakers must reach an agreement on government funding by Sept. 30 to avoid a partial shutdown.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faced another defeat as a vote to bring a defense spending bill to the floor failed, highlighting the growing division within the Republican Party. McCarthy's attempts to negotiate a modified spending bill were in vain as far-right conservatives opposed it, leaving him with no viable strategy to avert a government shutdown. The party's internal strife and lack of support for McCarthy have raised concerns about the potential consequences of a shutdown.
House GOP hardliners, led by the House Freedom Caucus, blocked debate on their party's defense spending bill in a procedural vote, exacerbating the ongoing civil war within the Republican Party. The move comes as GOP lawmakers are still divided over an upcoming spending confrontation with the Senate, just 12 days away from a government shutdown. The failed vote further complicates GOP efforts to pass annual government funding bills, and it remains uncertain what the House can pass with a shutdown looming. The defense bill, loaded with conservative provisions, has little chance of passing a Democratic-led Senate.
Kai Bird, the biographer behind the book that inspired the movie Oppenheimer, has expressed support for a US senator's attempt to prevent the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in nuclear weapons launches. Bird believes that humans should always maintain sole control over nuclear weapons and that automating the command and control system is too dangerous. The senator, Ed Markey, aims to add an AI-nuclear provision to a major defense spending bill. Markey and Bird discussed their concerns over the proliferation of AI in national security and defense, as well as ways to increase awareness of nuclear issues.