The Senate is set to vote on final passage of a comprehensive defense bill that will authorize significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members and increase overall military spending to $895 billion. However, the legislation also includes the removal of coverage for transgender medical treatments for children of military members.
The annual defense authorization bill typically garners strong bipartisan support and has a long history of passing Congress. This year, the bill faced challenges as Republicans sought to incorporate priorities for social conservatives, leading to prolonged negotiations and decreased Democratic support.
