US House adopts 2023 $850bln defense bill with billions for Taiwan

By Al Mayadeen English

The initiative involves the allocation of at least $800 million in additional aid to Kiev and $10 billion to Taiwan and contains clauses aimed at blocking the gold reserve of Russia.

A new version of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) estimated to be worth $847.3 billion was passed on Thursday by the US House of Representatives - a staggering increase considering that last year that amount was $768 billion.

The voting turnout was 350-80 and received both bipartisan support and opposition. It will now proceed to be assessed by the Senate for the bill to be passed before the end of the year. 

The 2023 NDAA would authorize $847.3 billion in national defense spending, including $816.7 billion for the Defense Department and $30.3 billion for national security programs within the Energy Department, along with a range of defense and nondefense policy provisions.

The initiative also involves the allocation of at least $800 million in additional aid to Kiev and $10 billion to Taiwan and contains clauses aimed at blocking the gold reserve of Russia, as well as extending the ban on cooperation with Moscow in the military sphere for 5 years.

It further provides a 4.6% pay raise to US military service members and Defense Department civilian employees in a bit to alleviate the cost of living crisis.

The Covid-19 vaccine mandate has likewise been rescinded from the NDAA, marking what Republican lawmakers call a "huge win" against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Congress is currently examining if an omnibus spending bill is more beneficial than a year-long stopgap bill to avoid a government shutdown that could begin after December 16. 

There have been discussions among Republicans about the need to pass a short-term, stopgap measure – also known as a “continuing resolution,” or CR – to allow the next Congress to draft a budget.