House passes annual defense policy bill

The House on Thursday passed its annual defense policy bill authorizing nearly $840 billion in defense spending for fiscal year 2023, approving a $37 billion boost to President Biden’s defense budget.

The lower chamber passed the bill on a bipartisan 329-101 vote. Thirty-nine Democrats and 62 Republicans voted against the measure.

A separate version of the annual defense policy bill still has to be considered in the Senate, and then both versions will be reconciled in conference committee before the bill makes way through both chambers for final passage.