One of the key hurdles that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) needed to clear for the House before the Christmas break passed Wednesday afternoon on a bipartisan basis.
The National Defense Authorization Act, a mammoth 1800-plus-page package, cleared the House on a 281-140 vote (200 Republicans and 81 Democrats voted “yes”) and will now head to the Senate where GOP Whip (and soon-to-be Majority Leader) John Thune (R-SD) indicates it will hit the floor early next week.
Congressional leaders unveiled the sprawling $883.7 billion package over the weekend, which includes a 14.5 percent pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5 increase for all other members.
The legislation advanced out of the House despite opposition from liberal Democrats, and some apprehension from Republicans, who took issue with a number of culture-war amendments that made it…
