$1.75T BUILD BACK BETTER? Not Happening This Year, Folks ...but $768B National Defense Policy Bill OK'd

Congress passed a big $768B NDAA Defense Policy - Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate joined forces to push the bill's budget top line by $25 billion. Many lawmakers argued Biden's $715 billion request for the Pentagon portion of the budget, though still an increase from the previous level locked in during the Trump administration, should be much higher to keep up with inflation and match military gains made by China and Russia.

Passage of the defense bill comes as congressional leaders rush to finish several major year-end agenda items, including raising the government's borrowing limit, confirming dozens of Biden's nominees and Democrats' $1.7 trillion social spending package.

 

Senate sends $768B defense policy bill to Biden

POLITICO |

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a compromise $768 billion defense policy bill on Wednesday, sending a bipartisan rebuke of President Joe Biden's original Pentagon plans back to him for his signature. [...]

Seven Democrats, three Republicans and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont opposed the legislation in the final vote. Wednesday's roll call was even wider than an 86-13 procedural vote to end debate on the bill on Tuesday. Three senators who opposed advancing the bill on Tuesday — Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) — ultimately voted to pass it.

The bill initially passed 89-10, but Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was permitted to switch his vote to oppose it after the fact. The procedural maneuver did not affect the outcome of the vote.

The final deal authorizes $768 billion for national defense programs. That total includes $740 billion for the Pentagon and $27.8 billion for nuclear weapons programs that fall under the Department of Energy. . .

The bill increases Pentagon weapons programs that have wide bipartisan support.

Lawmakers authorized $27.3 billion for the Navy to procure 13 new warships, an increase of $4.7 billion from the budget request. The bill adds five more ships than requested by the Navy.

The bill would allow the Pentagon to purchase 85 Lockheed Martin-built F-35 fighters, matching the Pentagon's request. Negotiators agreed to procure 17 F-15EX jets, five more than the Air Force requested, and 12 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters that the Navy didn't include in its budget. Both jets are built by Boeing.

The legislation also would prohibit the Air Force from retiring any A-10 close-air support jets.

The defense deal also includes a 2.7 percent troop pay raise. . ."

READ MORE https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/15/senate-sends-768b-defense-policy-bill-to-biden-524734

Biden concedes Build Back Better bill won’t get passed this year

POLITICO |

“It takes time to finalize these agreements, prepare the legislative changes, and finish all the parliamentary and procedural steps needed to enable a Senate vote,” the president said.

President Joe Biden acknowledged Thursday that negotiations over his Build Back Better bill are poised to drag on into 2022 despite efforts and pledges by Democrats to get it done before Christmas.

“It takes time to finalize these agreements, prepare the legislative changes, and finish all the parliamentary and procedural steps needed to enable a Senate vote,” the president said in a statement. He said that he spoke to Democratic leaders in Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, earlier Thursday and they plan to “advance this work together over the days and weeks ahead; Leader Schumer and I are determined to see the bill successfully on the floor as early as possible.”

With the holidays approaching and the Senate eager to leave town on Friday, however, a vote isn't likely until after New Year's Day.

The statement is a recognition that the president’s team has so far failed to persuade Sen. Joe Manchin (D–W.Va.) to sign onto anything resembling the $1.75 trillion social spending and climate mitigation bill passed by the House of Representatives last month. . .

[...] The drawn-out negotiations come at a vulnerable moment for the Biden presidency after months of anemic polling. The White House remains confident they will get a deal eventually but it is almost certain to be far short of their original ambitions, which included trillions more in spending and, among other things, free community college nationwide.

READ MORE: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/16/biden-concedes-bbb-bill-wont-get-passed-this-year-525194

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