A precarious revolt on the House floor threatened to capsize the Pentagon's budget before it could even set sail, but the legislation ultimately survived the political storm. Despite a furious last-minute rebellion from hardline conservatives, the US House of Representatives has successfully passed a massive military spending package. The legislation, vital for the Pentagon's operations, survived a chaotic procedural threat that nearly derailed the entire process, eventually clearing the chamber with a comfortable bipartisan margin.
The House passed the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) on Wednesday, effectively punting the massive legislation that governs Pentagon spending to the Senate. The final vote tallied 312 to 112, with a coalition of 18 Republicans and 94 Democrats voting 'no' on the bill that authorises £711 billion ($901 billion) in War Department spending. While the final passage appeared decisive, the path to the vote was fraught with internal GOP tension regarding the final negotiated text.
