On Wednesday night, the Senate voted to move the massive $778 billion 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to the floor, but it’s not clear when the debate on the military spending bill will begin.
The Senate voted 84 to 15 to move the NDAA to the floor. The vote was expected to take place early on Wednesday, but it was delayed by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who attempted to add a major piece of legislation aimed at competing with China to the spending bill.
Schumer tried to add the US Innovation and Competition Act to the NDAA, which calls for about $250 billion in spending, including $52 billion to subsidize US semiconductor manufacturing and $195 billion to fund research and development.
The China legislation has stalled in the House, but Schumer reached a deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for the two chambers of Congress to bring the bill to conference and dropped it from the NDAA.
The House has passed its version of the NDAA in September, which is also for $778 billion, $25 billion more than President Biden requested. Some lawmakers are hoping to add even more to the military budget. The Senate will vote on an amendment introduced by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) that would add another $25 billion to the NDAA for Navy shipyards.
The Senate will also vote on an amendment introduced by Sen. Time Kaine (D-VA) that would repeal the authorizations for the use of military force (AUMF) that were passed in 1991 and 2002 to wage wars against Iraq.
Maybe the only way to “Build Back Better” is to pretend everything is defense spending so it will sail through Congress over-budget? Electric car charging stations against the onslaught of rising seas…? Solar subsidies against menacing super-storms invading from the Pacific…?
Wow. So in one year, Congress is authorizing 75% of the cost of the infrastructure plan that is going to be spent over 10yrs with massive bi-partisan support. And the Republicans are assuring us that it is the infrastructure spending that is condemning our country to hell.
It has ever been thus. Wall St and the War Party are the real USA, we, “for the people” are supposed to be grateful for the crumbs. The BBB and the Biden budget could not be more typical.
Is it beginning to sound like the last verse in the Who Song…..New Boss Same as the Old Boss????? Have we been fooled again????
How about this factoid: our climate change attacking President just signed off on 80 leases to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. There is also stuff in the BBB that has nothing to do with the advertised mission.
It’s a catch-22. It exposes the people promoting the “crisis emergency,” while all nations still need oil to survive. Case in point: high oil prices. Biden has to drill for oil or import more oil/risk more inflation (yes, the US is again importing oil thanks to the same policies). If you drill for oil, you appear inconsistent to the same people you radicalized with fears from the “crisis emergency.” Of course, one can research/apply scientific principals, but would risk scorn for not drinking the Kool-Aid.
“The Senate will also vote on an amendment introduced by Sen. Time Kaine (D-VA) that would repeal the authorizations for the use of military force (AUMF) that were passed in 1991 and 2002 to wage wars against Iraq.”
Sure, since it’s not being used anymore. No mention of the 2001 AUMF since that would actually affect something. Kaine is the same clown who voted for the $23 billion increase that was added to Biden’s original $755 billion.