House Of Representatives Vote Underway On National Defence Authorisation Act

The House of Representatives has begun voting on the must-pass National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA). The bill needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

• The NDAA calls for USD$45 billion more than President Biden requested in his budget, taking the total defence ticket up to USD$847 billion.
• Yesterday, members of the Congressional Black Caucus threatened to block the NDAA if it failed to include voter rights legislation but expected to stop short of voting against the bill.
• CBC Chair Rep Joyce Beatty (D-OH) said ahead of the vote: “Our efforts were never about stopping the NDAA but standing up for voting rights...”
• The final NDAA text includes wins for Republicans. A COVID-19 vaccine mandate for US troops has been rescinded and Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) energy permitting reform bill has been omitted.
• Manchin said in a statement: “The Senate must vote to amend the NDAA to ensure the comprehensive, bipartisan permitting reform our country desperately needs is included.”
• A proposal from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to ban US government contractors from using Chinese-made semiconductors and funds for Taiwan are included in the bill.