The lower house of the US Congress has taken a historic step by approving the massive National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The US military budget reaches unprecedented $1.15 trillion. The vote was split along party lines, with the measure narrowly passing by a vote of 216 to 212. The main driver of the record funding is the escalating costs of the ongoing war with Iran and the administration's ambitious plans.
According to Focus News, senior Democrat Adam Smith sharply criticized the measure. He said that by supporting the spending unchecked, it is effectively funding a conflict with no end in sight. The Republican majority, however, defended the project, calling it crucial to national security.
What does the new US military budget include?
The main highlights of the package approved by the House of Representatives focus on modernization and support for military personnel:
- Salary Increase: A long-awaited increase in military salaries of between 5% and 7% is expected.
- Anti-missile shield “Golden Dome“: The bill funds the construction of a large-scale missile defense system on US territory, modeled after Israel's “Iron Dome“.
- Replenishment of stocks: Billions are being allocated to restore depleted weapons reserves spent in the Middle East.
A Washington Post (washingtonpost.com) article reveals that Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett reported to senators that the conflict with Iran has already cost the Pentagon over $37.5 billion. This requires an urgent redirection of new financial flows.
A tough political battle in the Senate
Although adopted in the lower house, the US military budget faces a serious blockade. According to information from the military publication Military Times (militarytimes.com), Senate Democrats have already stopped the initial debate on their version of the document. The main disputes are related to the size of the amount and the inclusion of controversial texts, such as the conservative voting restrictions law “SAVE America Act“.
The procedure requires the two chambers to iron out their differences in a common compromise version before the law is sent to the White House for a final signature. Republican leaders are ambitious to make progress in negotiations before the summer recess in August, to avoid a possible shutdown of the US government in the fall.