The laws, thought-about one of many few “must-pass” payments Congress authors annually, is but to be reconciled with the Senate’s model. The textual content of that doc has not been made public and is predicted to reshape some how a lot cash will likely be directed towards the Defense Department. Implementing the protection invoice may also be topic to congressional appropriations, which haven’t been finalized — and will not cowl all the applications licensed within the laws.
The House invoice devotes appreciable consideration to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s breakthroughs in hypersonic weapons and different cutting-edge navy know-how, and rampant inflation that’s battering the U.S. financial system. It additionally directs navy leaders to research the hazards posed by people in uniform who espouse white-supremacist beliefs, neo-Nazism and antisemitism. The laws particularly mentions the Proud Boys, a far-right group whose distinguished position final yr’s assault on the U.S. Capitol has been an intense focus of federal prosecutors and the House choose committee working a parallel investigation.
The bipartisan endorsement mirrored in Thursday’s vote didn’t accompany each provision. For occasion, all Republicans voted in opposition to a measure requiring a report back to Congress on efforts to fight threats posed by white supremacy and neo-Nazism within the ranks. Other amendments that fell principally alongside celebration traces included directives to stream on-line the authorized proceedings of Guantánamo Bay detainees, set up sure fair-labor requirements for navy contractors, and assure victims of harassment and discrimination that their circumstances will likely be heard inside 180 days.
On Russia, along with demanding that the U.S. navy in Europe detach itself from the Kremlin’s power provides, the House voted this week to stop Moscow from buying and selling in gold or rejoining worldwide organizations. Lawmakers additionally ordered the Pentagon to implement inside six months higher accounting practices for all the U.S. navy help being despatched to Ukraine, and instructed the Department of Defense Inspector General to report biannually on the U.S. response to Russian aggression.
The invoice calls for a research of what sources NATO wants to discourage Russian aggression and devotes $100 million in funding to coach Ukrainian pilots — a sign of Congress’s intent to spend money on Kyiv’s capacity to struggle within the skies in addition to on the bottom.
On China, lawmakers backed measures concerning its increasing international footprint and to cement U.S. relations with Taiwan, together with feasibility research to boost navy cooperation.
On Afghanistan, whereas the underlying invoice known as for enhancements to the convoluted visa processing system that resulted in 1000’s of American allies being left behind after U.S. personnel withdrew, the House added a number of amendments supposed to “surge capacity” for bringing extra eligible Afghans to the United States. Those embody instructions for eradicating necessities that Afghans making use of for scholar visas should declare their intent to return to Afghanistan, and for the Pentagon to craft plans for reimbursing U.S. service members and veterans who helped evacuate visa-eligible Afghans at private expense.
Some of the amendments endorsed by the House are more likely to complicate overseas coverage priorities for President Biden, together with one provision that may briefly halt weapons gross sales to Saudi Arabia over the slaying of journalist and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. Biden is in Saudi Arabia, trying a reset of relations with the leaders who the U.S. authorities believes ordered the killing.
There can also be a provision to ban promoting any F-16s to Turkey with out the Biden administration first offering sure ensures of how they are going to be used — a restriction that would complicate efforts to dissuade Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s resistance to Sweden and Finland becoming a member of NATO.
Many of the provisions added to the protection invoice this week have been designed to enhance working circumstances for service members at a time when navy households are dealing with mounting financial and well being challenges. The House voted to broaden upon a 4.6 p.c pay improve for personnel with a further 2.4 p.c bump — “inflation pay” — for these making $45,000 and a sign to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that he can improve that quantity if the inflation fee worsens.
The House additionally voted in a collection of amendments to broaden investments in navy well being care, with a specific focus on addressing poisonous publicity and treating psychological well being. Among them is a provision that may greenlight analysis into whether or not ecstasy and different psychedelic medication are viable substitutes for opioids or as therapy for submit traumatic stress.
While the invoice sidesteps the nationwide abortion debate enjoying out within the wake of the Supreme Court’s choice to repeal Roe v. Wade, it directs the Pentagon to hold out numerous steps to handle reproductive well being, together with a pilot program aimed toward stopping undesirable pregnancies. It demands new demographic monitoring by the navy relating to medical personnel stories, a part of a basic development towards addressing disparities in race, ethnicity and gender id.
Finally, the invoice incorporates measures the House has endorsed in years previous however have did not develop into legislation. Among them are provisions to repeal authorizations for use of navy drive handed in 2002, 1991 and 1957 to approve navy operations within the Middle East. Also included within the laws are orders to remove federal sentencing disparities between crack and powder cocaine, permit hashish companies entry the U.S. banking system, and grant the mayor of D.C. the identical authority as all of the 50 states’ governors to mobilize the National Guard for native emergencies.
