WASHINGTON – Mitch McConnell has had the National Defense Authorization Act on his brain for weeks, complaining about the pace of the annual allocation for military spending and warning that its size will be integral in deterring creeping Chinese aggression.
With the $886 billion bill set to hit the House floor next week, the tenor and breadth of the debate will begin to reveal the chasm between the more conservative House – which is seeking a slew of cultural and spending restraints – and the Senate, which is prioritizing robust military deterrence around the globe.
Some hardline House Republicans are already balking at voting for the immense measure if it contains continued funding for Ukraine’s battle against Russian aggression, spending that McConnell sees as an imperative.
