U.S. Congress passes unprecedented $839 billion military budget

Washington, July 15 (RHC)-- The U.S. House of Representatives has approved $839 billion in new military spending for the coming fiscal year -- an unprecedented military budget.  The National Defense Authorization Act passed on a vote of 329 to 101, with the support of 180 Democrats.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill overwhelmingly voted down an amendment put forward by progressives that would have shaved $100 billion from the Pentagon budget.  They also defeated an amendment to reverse an additional $37 billion piled onto President Biden’s record budget request.

Progressive Democrats Mark Pocan and Barbara Lee had proposed the amendment that would have slashed $100 billion from the military budget.  Congressmember Lee said: “More guns and tanks are of no use to Americans without housing, education or healthcare.”

Meanwhile, all 208 House Republicans voted against an amendment to the NDAA calling on the Pentagon and federal law enforcement agencies to combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi activity among government employees.