Senate panel approves defense spending bill with strong support.

The Senate Armed Services Committee Advances Annual Defense Spending Bill

The Senate Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly voted 24-1 to advance the annual defense spending bill on Thursday, sending it to the Senate floor for consideration.

The bill supports a top line of $886.3 billion for fiscal 2024 for national defense, with the majority going to the Department of Defense. Additional funds are allocated to the Department of Energy and defense-related activities outside of the National Defense Authorization Act’s jurisdiction.

Support for President Biden’s Request

The top line number aligns with President Joe Biden’s request and the House Armed Services Committee’s recent passing of the bill. However, there is a push from defense hawks in the Senate for a defense supplemental for Ukraine, which House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is objecting to.

Sen. Roger Wicker, the ranking member on the committee, believes that the top line number is insufficient to meet the Pentagon’s needs in countering an increasingly aggressive China. He plans to work towards increasing the Department of Defense’s funding as the bill progresses.

Pay Raise and Diversity Efforts

The bill includes a 5.2% pay raise for service members and the department’s civilian workforce, the largest increase since 2002.

The Senate version also addresses diversity efforts, encouraging increased diversity at the service academies while imposing limitations on the DEI workforce in the Pentagon. The importance of individual merit is emphasized, with some decisions postponed until further information is received from the services.

Space Command and Abortion Laws

The Senate bill aligns with the House bill regarding the Space Command and its permanent location. Both bills include a provision to halt construction spending on the headquarters in Colorado until the Air Force announces its final decision. There is a dispute over whether the headquarters should be relocated to Alabama.

Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to prevent the administration from considering abortion access in Alabama when deciding on the Space Command’s location. Reports suggest that the White House may be considering this factor, but a White House official has denied it.

Overall, the Senate Armed Services Committee’s advancement of the defense spending bill sets the stage for further discussions and decisions on funding, diversity, and the Space Command’s future location.