US Senate passes sweeping defense policy bill

The US Senate has voted to pass a critical bill which sets the policy agenda and authorises funding for the Department of Defense annually.

The final negotiated version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2024 authorises $886 billion in national defense funding, an increase of $28 billion over last year, CNN reported.

The bill is expected to be approved by the Senate with bipartisan support and will next go to the House, with lawmakers hoping it will pass through both chambers before the end of the week.

The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday by a vote of 87 to 13.

The sweeping legislation authorises a 5.2 per cent pay raise for members of the military as part of a wide range of provisions related to service member pay and benefits, housing and childcare.

It will also include a short-term extension of a controversial law that permits warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals.