The House on Thursday passed its version of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that authorizes $850.3 billion for military spending, increasing President Biden’s requested budget by $37 billion.
The massive spending bill passed in a vote of 329-101, with 62 Republicans and 39 Democrats voting nay. The Senate still has to pass its version of the NDAA, which is even bigger than the House one at $858.5 billion. Once it passes the Senate, the two chambers will then negotiate the final version.
Lawmakers in the House attached hundreds of amendments to the NDAA, including some that could restrict arms sales if they make it to the final version.
Two amendments aimed at limiting arms sales to Saudi Arabia were added to the bill. One, offered by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), would prohibit the sale of what would be considered “offensive” to Saudi Arabia over Riyadh’s harsh treatment of dissidents.
The other Saudi amendment, offered by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), would require an investigation into the use of US-provided arms by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The coalition is notorious for hitting civilian targets with US-made weapons. According to Amnesty International, the coalition used a US-made precision-guided munition to bomb a migrant detention center in January, which killed at least 91 civilians.
President Biden is due to visit Saudi Arabia this weekend as his administration is reportedly considering expanding arms sales to the Kingdom.
Another amendment would block the sale of 40 F-16s to Turkey unless the president got assurances they wouldn’t be used to violate Greek airspace. The Biden administration came out in favor of the F-16 deal after Ankara lifted its objection to Finland and Sweden joining NATO.
Another amendment would require the repeal of the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which was used for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. But the 2001 AUMF that is still used to justify the US military presence in Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen would remain.
The House bill authorizes $45 million in funding for a new nuclear-capable cruise missile that could be launched from ships or submarines. Biden’s requested budget would have eliminated funding for the missile.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) attempted to rein in the massive spending by offering one amendment that would reduce the NDAA to Biden’s original request of $813 billion and one that would have slashed the Pentagon’s funding by $100 billion. But both efforts were voted down.
The NDAA will give the Pentagon $1 billion to arm Ukraine, although a separate aid package to fund the war will likely be passed on its own once the $40 billion bill Biden signed in May runs out.
It is an attack on American society. Ike’s Cross of Iron speech comes to mind.
This is just politicians capturing a talking point to campaign on since there is no budgetary limits on the DOD ever. They run an unaccountable budget that spends money whenever and wherever they want regardless of success. Basically, the DOD is a money laundering operation that is run under the banner of patriotism. The beneficiaries of this are a select few and the collateral damage is extensive and ignored.
It needed to be cut in half and the empire dissolved.
And halved again.
Just about right. Start by getting rid of the hordes of Pentagon political generals.
Firing Squads?…
Pink slips.
Violence breeds more violence. Even so, I’d probably prefer a 20 foot drop with a 10 foot rope.
There is a solution for that, isn’t there?… It makes things dissolve…
Another $850 Billion of waste…!
Speaking of waste, any money in this bill for cleaning up toxic sites created by the military?
Of course not…! That’s people rather than Pentagon problem…!
$850 or $858. My goodness how on earth are they going to reach a compromise.
what a dilemma – imagine the sleepless nights those poor deciderers endure
“Two amendments aimed at limiting arms sales to Saudi Arabia were added to the bill. One, offered by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), would prohibit the sale of what would be considered “offensive” to Saudi Arabia over Riyadh’s harsh treatment of dissidents.”
Where has this guy been? Biden already re-stenciled everything from “O’s” to “D’s”.
Imagine if we spent this money (more than the next dozen countries combined, including Russia and China) on our own society. It’s more than enough for universal healthcare and to end homelessness and hunger. Instead, we spend it on war and enriching the corrupt congress and the military industrial complex that bought it.
Pathetic.
Could also fund a national system of speed trains, like China has.
China is condemned to suffer bad dictators from time to time due to its system of government. But a dictator who is motivated to serve his people can accomplish remarkable things. China’s investments in infrastructure, clean energy, technological advancement, and human capital is remarkable.
To Biden’s credit, he DID try to get an infrastructure bill passed. But Blinken, whom I believe is running foreign policy, will very likely end Biden’s career, throw us into deep economic crisis, and turn well over half of the world’s population against us.
Scott Ritter has predicted that Blinken will be gone by the end of the year.
I’d like to read that. Do you have a link?
It was in one of his recent videos. I will see if I can find it.
But there are so many Blinken wannabes to take his place.
Yes, I agree. It’s like the crowd of wannabes in England hoping to take Boris Johnson’s place. Not one of them is good.
“and turn well over half of the world’s population against us.”
That ship has sailed.
ancient history by now
Similarly, What if all the money spent by the US on arming Ukraine to facilitate Zalensky’s expressed purpose of retaking the Donbass and Crimea had been used to facilitate the Minsk Agreements?
Yes, but that would be socialism for the people. That’s only allowed for cooperations. Especially the MIC.
We excel at pathetic…
all aboard
the Armageddon Express!!
Ok, i will propose a minus 58 billions so we can have free college for all US students per year
In few years they’ll pass a 1 trillion dollar package. And they wonder why we have inflation.
850 Billion dollars?!?!?! 1 Billion to arm Ukraine? For one billion we should be able to buy Ukraine and install wall to wall carpets… “F” Biden, Just eff him. This is madness.
IT IS TIME TO PUT A STOP TO THIS MADNESS CALLED THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
WE ARE THE LEGITIMATE ARMS DEALER OF THE WORLD!
Wait until we hit the trillions….
EVERYONE OF THESE A-HOLES NEEDS TO BE FIRED!
Unfortunately this will continue as long as the Deep State exists…! Another choice would be to renounce your US citizenship…! That way, you would know that 80% of your federal taxes would Not Go to MIC…!
If we want to fix the system we need to place limits on people wealth, this will limit the damage they can do. This is class warfare, we are just to stupid to realise it. Marx was spot on.
Funny how money is always there when it suits them, its all about money laundering. Money is created by keyboard, there is no limit to it hence they can increase the corrupt budgets as much as they like. Till the dollar collapses of course (hyperinflation).
So when they say how are we going to pay for that, the answer is…..by requiring the head of the fed to find a keyboard.