The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), despite concerns from some lawmakers about a surveillance authority extension included in the bill.
The House of Representatives passed a reconciled version of the NDAA in a vote of 310-118, with two-thirds support required for passage. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden for finalization.
The 2024 NDAA supports $883.7 billion in national defense funding; previous versions of the legislation put topline national defense spending at $886 billion, but funding levels have since shifted, a Senate Armed Services Committee spokesperson told Sputnik.
The legislation cleared both the House and Senate despite concerns in both chambers of Congress about an extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Section 702 surveillance powers included in the bill without reforms to the program.
“FISA Section 702 has allowed the FBI to spy on U.S. citizens more than 278,000 times without a warrant! FISA should not be combined with our national defense, and it is unacceptable that the DC Cartel is bypassing regular order to jam Members by forcing them to vote on two unrelated bills in one vote,” Congressman Matt Rosendale said on Thursday.
US Senator Rand Paul unsuccessfully attempted to remove the extension from the NDAA in the upper chamber of Congress.
The NDAA also features other defense policy provisions, including an extension of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2026. The bill authorizes $300 million for USAI in both fiscal year 2024 and 2025 and establishes a Special Inspector General for Operation Atlantic Resolve, who will oversee US assistance to Ukraine.
The bill also prohibits the United States from withdrawing from NATO without the consent of the Senate or pursuant to another measure by Congress.
Moreover, the bill authorizes $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and extends the program through fiscal year 2024. The legislation also approves the sale of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
The legislation raises the pay of US military service members and Defense Department civilians by 5.2% and reforms housing allowance policies as well.
