House passes crucial defense bill in last-minute sprint, providing a pay raise for troops,...

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The House passed an annual defense policy bill Thursday morning, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to approve $886 billion in spending for military pay raises, funding for Ukraine and other key issues.

The National Defense Authorization Act, a bill that Congress is required to pass every year, includes a 5.2% pay raise for troops, authorizes funding for Ukraine and an extension of a controversial foreign surveillance program. The bill’s passage concludes a last-minute sprint from Congress to finish the crucial legislation, which cleared the lower chamber by a bipartisan vote of 310-118.

The bill, opposed by House conservatives, was considered on the floor under what is known as "suspension." It required a two-thirds vote from the House to dodge procedural hoops, which likely would have been stopped by hard-right GOP lawmakers protesting.