The US House passed a $633 billion defence authorisation bill Thursday that includes fresh sanctions against Iran and funds the war in Afghanistan, while offering compromise language on military detention of US citizens. In addition to covering standard national security expenses, it also provides a 1.7-percent pay raise for the military, authorises the Pentagon to pay for abortions in cases of rape and incest and lifts a ban on same-sex marriage ceremonies on military bases.
The legislation, which passed 315-107, ended an indefinite restriction on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the United States or other countries, instead extending the current restrictions by one year. The National Defence Authorisation Act for fiscal year 2013, which began in October, was hammered out by House and Senate conferees in recent days after each chamber voted to approve separate versions of the bill.
Most NDAAs pass with broad bipartisan support after conference, and this one is expected to pass the Senate later Thursday or Friday, clearing the way for President Barack Obama to sign it into law. House and Senate conferees had to compromise on overall spending figures for the bill, settling on $527.4 billion for the base Pentagon budget; $88.5 billion for overseas contingency operations including the war in Afghanistan; and $17.8 billion for national security programs in the Department of Energy and the Defence Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.
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