Service members will get a significant pay increase in January under the annual defense bill unveiled Wednesday by the Senate and House of Representatives Armed Services Committees.
The National Defense Authorization Act bill authorizes a record $886 billion in spending, a 3% increase over last year, and a 5.2% increase for service members. It leaves out most of the divisive social issues, such as abortion rights and treatment of transgender service members that had threatened to derail the must-pass legislation.
The pay bump is the biggest in more than two decades.
The compromise NDAA does not overturn the Pentagon's policy of reimbursing servicemembers who travel to obtain abortions, which prompted Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., to block most military promotions for much of the year.
It also drops House language that would have blocked coverage of transition surgeries for transgender troops.
Congress has passed an NDAA annually since 1961, one of the few major pieces of legislation to become law every year. The Senate could take its first votes within days, with the House of Representatives expected to follow suit later this month.
The bill — the result of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and House — is expected to pass both chambers and be signed into law by President Joe Biden, despite expected opposition from the hard-right wing of the House.
Information from Reuters was used in this report.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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