What's Inside the $886 Billion Defense Bill

The Senate and House Armed Services committees have unveiled their crucial $886.3 billion defense bill. This bill includes the largest pay raise for service members in over twenty years, a temporary extension of a controversial surveillance program, and measures to bolster the US presence in the Indo-Pacific region as a deterrent to Chinese activities.

Both chambers are anticipated to vote on the extensive 3,100-page National Defense Authorization Act for the fiscal year 2024 this week, with plans to send it to President Joe Biden for approval. The bill authorizes $28 billion, marking a 3% increase over the previous fiscal year.

The legislation sets the policy agenda for the Department of Defense and the US military, as well as authorizing spending in line with Pentagon priorities. However, it does not allocate the funding itself.

It is worth noting that the joint package does not contain two contentious provisions regarding abortion and transgender health care access, which were included in the House defense policy bill passed earlier in the year. The House version would have prohibited the secretary of defense from funding or reimbursing expenses related to abortion services. Additionally, it would have prevented a health care program for service members from covering hormone treatments for transgender individuals and gender confirmation surgeries.

The bill's final version does contain several provisions aimed at "eliminating wokeness in the military," as outlined by the Republican-led House Armed Services Committee.

The $105 billion national security package, which includes increased aid for Israel and Ukraine, remains a contentious issue in Congress. Senate Republicans are demanding that any additional foreign aid be tied to significant changes in border security policy. Despite ongoing discussions to reach a compromise, a bipartisan agreement has not been reached.

The defense authorization bill aims to extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative until the end of 2026 and allocate $300 million for the program in the current and next fiscal year. This funding will support the production of weapons and security assistance for Ukraine, instead of using existing US stockpiles. Some important provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act include:

Support for service members and their families

The package contains several measures to improve service members wages and benefits in hopes of aiding in recruitment and retention.

The bill includes a 5.2% increase in service member basic pay and a monthly bonus for junior enlisted members. Additionally, it would adjust the Basic Allowance for Housing calculation to provide higher reimbursement for junior enlisted service members facing rising rents, and expand the Basic Needs Allowance to support low-income service members with families. Furthermore, the bill would allocate $38 million for new family housing, and $356 million for renovating and constructing new barracks, exceeding the budget request.

The legislation aims to support military spouses by increasing reimbursements for relicensing and business expenses, as well as enabling federal government employees to telework when transferring to new locations. Additionally, it aims to lower child care costs for military families and allocate $153 million for the construction of new child care centers, exceeding the budget request.

Warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals

Furthermore, it would grant approval for the Department of Defense to finance and allow members of the Armed Services to engage in clinical trials using psychedelic substances and cannabis as a means to address post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

The legislation contains a temporary continuation of a contentious measure allowing surveillance of foreign nationals without a warrant, extending the program's authority until April 19.

This measure, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, allows the US government to gather intelligence by accessing communication records of non-US citizens abroad who are utilizing American communication services.

Supporters argue Section 702 is a critical tool for safeguarding national security, but it has come under scrutiny from some lawmakers over alleged misuse.

Focus on Indo-Pacific region

To address Chinese aggression, the proposed package would allocate $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, extending it through fiscal year 2024. Additionally, it would create a program to train, advise, and build institutional capacity for Taiwan's military forces.

The bill would support the implementation of the AUKUS agreement, allowing for the eventual sale of nuclear-capable submarines to Australia. It would also establish the Indo-Pacific Campaigning Initiative, aimed at increasing the frequency and scale of exercises conducted by the US Indo-Pacific Command, among other measures.

Ending wokeness in the military

The new package would bar financial support for the instruction, education, or endorsement of critical race theory within the military, encompassing service academies and Department of Defense schools, as outlined in the House summary. It would also ban the exhibition of any unauthorized flags, including the LGBTQ pride flag, at military facilities.

A hiring freeze would be implemented for diversity, equity, and inclusion positions until the US Government Accountability Office completes an investigation of the Pentagon's DEI programs. Additionally, the bill would limit the base pay of DEI staff to $70,000 a year. The package also features a Parents Bill of Rights, granting parents of children in Department of Defense schools the authority to review curriculum, books, and instructional materials, meet with teachers, and give consent before schools conduct medical exams or screenings of students.

In addition, the legislation reiterates that no funds may be spent on drag shows, Drag Queen Story Hours or similar events.

Help service members who did not get the Covid-19 vaccine

The proposed law mandates that the defense secretary notify the 8,000 discharged service members about the reinstatement process after not receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. It also labels the break in service as a "career intermission" to ensure future promotions are not impacted. Additionally, it compels the Defense Department to approve requests to amend the personnel files of discharged individuals so they can access full retirement benefits.

CNNs Clare Foran contributed to this report.