WASHINGTON — The House passed a $840 billion policy bill Thursday that would increase the Pentagon budget requested by President Biden by $37 billion, reflecting a growing bipartisan appetite in Congress to increase military spending amid new threats from Russia and China.
The legislation would grant a 4.6 percent pay increase to military personnel, limit the Biden government’s ability to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey and require top national security agencies to report on white supremacist and neo-Nazi activities in Turkey. federal law enforcement and fight them. and the armed forces. Although the measure received broad bipartisan support, 329 to 101, Republicans were unanimously against the mandate to stamp out white supremacy, arguing that such an effort was unnecessary.
The bill also includes provisions aimed at reducing civilian deaths and injuries from US military operations and authorizing $100 million in aid to Ukrainian military pilots. And it would repeal the 2002 law permitting the invasion of Iraq, which has been stretched by multiple governments to justify military action around the world.
“We have a complex threat environment, if you look at Russia, China and Iran,” said Washington Democrat Representative Adam Smith and chairman of the Armed Services Committee. “The war in Ukraine is a devastating threat to peace, stability and democracy, not just in Eastern Europe, but around the world that we are trying to address with partners. So we have to make sure we have a strong account.”
House Democrats initially suggested meeting Mr Biden’s requested military budget, but a bipartisan group on the Armed Services Committee overwhelmingly supported a move by Maine Democrat Representative Jared Golden to increase the amount by about 4.6 percent.
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“We need only look at world events in Ukraine, read reports on China’s plans and actions in the South China Sea, or simply read the latest headlines about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and North Korean missile tests, as well as ongoing terrorist attacks. threats, to see why this additional funding is needed to meet the security challenges of our time,” said Mr. Golden.
By contrast, an ongoing effort led by Representative Barbara Lee, Democrat of California, to cut the Pentagon’s budget — by $100 billion this year — failed on the House floor Thursday, in a resounding show of bipartisan opposition, 350 against 78.
Also included in the military policy bill is a slew of measures aimed at reducing civilian deaths and injuries caused by U.S. military operations, following reports by The New York Times and others showing that the U.S. air campaign against Islamic State was characterized by flawed intelligence, confirmation bias and minor liability.
The legislation would create a “civil damage commission” composed of a dozen knowledgeable citizens appointed by Congress to review “a representative sample of incidents of civilian damage that occurred where the United States used military force.” to research.
Lawmakers also voted to add an amendment to the military policy law that would require the top national security agencies to report on and combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi activities in federal law enforcement and the armed forces, in a vote in which Republicans of the House were unanimously against .
“Such extremism is a threat to us in all segments of society. There’s no reason to believe our military is any different,” said Illinois Democrat Representative Brad Schneider and the sponsor of the facility. He said cases of extremism in the United States armed forces “are rare, but we must do everything we can to identify and thwart them before risks become a reality.”
Every Republican voted no, but only one — Arizona Representative Andy Biggs — publicly explained his opposition on the House floor. He argued that the proposal “attempts to create a problem where there is none” and “denigrates our men and women in the service”.
“Any member of the military who has expressed an interest in or actually participated in a white supremacist or white nationalist group has faced discipline,” Mr. Biggs said. “The respective branch demoted the person, fired him or otherwise punished the sympathizer.”
The mood came as the country grapples with the fallout from the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, which included dozens of… current and former service members and what led to efforts at the Pentagon to eradicate extremism of the armed forces. In December, the Pentagon heeft has updated its rules against extremismincluding tightening social media guidelines, changing the way recruits are screened, and exploring ways to prevent retreating troops from being targeted by extremist organizations.
The House also passed a provision, led by New York Democrat Representative Kathleen Rice, requiring a review of national security agencies’ compliance with domestic terrorism reporting requirements already enshrined in existing law. Only four Republicans supported it.
Ms. Rice said she introduced the legislation after agencies submitted “incomplete and insufficient information” in their first congressional-mandated report on domestic terrorism, which was nearly a year late.
The votes were the latest indication of Republicans’ unwillingness to address the issue of white nationalism and white supremacy, even as data shows that such ideologies help fuel a growing threat of domestic violent extremism. The party has largely refused to punish lawmakers in its ranks who have indulged in white nationalists, including representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Paul Gosar of Arizona, both of whom spoke at a white nationalist conference. Mr. Gosar sided closely with the conference leader, Nick Fuentes.
It was not clear whether the white supremacist language, passed by 218 votes to 208, would survive negotiations with the Senate over the law to be passed. At the very least, it would take some support from Republicans to gather the 60 votes it takes to get the measure through the evenly divided chamber.
In the House, lawmakers also voted to give the mayor of the District of Columbia the same authority over the DC National Guard that state and territory governors have over their National Guard, in an effort to address the situation that would leave the DC mayor was unable to quickly send members of the guard to the Capitol on January 6, as rioters attacked the building.