US House passes $584 bn defence bill, Senate vote due
6 Dec 2014 1:03 AM GMT
The House of Representatives adopted an annual US defense spending bill Thursday which includes emergency funding for military operations against Islamic jihadists in Iraq and Syria, as requested by President Barack Obama.
The Senate still must pass the legislation -- outlining $584.2 billion in federal military spending for fiscal year 2015, which began on October 1 -- before Congress adjourns at the end of next week.
The Republican-led House passed the measure by a vote of 300 to 119.
The bill, a culmination of months of negotiations, extends training and equipping for moderate Syrian rebels, a program that had been authorized to last only until December 11, using existing Pentagon money.
It also includes Obama’s $5 billion request for funds to battle the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group, including $3.4 billion for deployment of US forces as part of operation “Inherent Resolve,” and $1.6 billion for a program to equip and train Iraqi Kurdish forces for two years. Obama’s request for $520 million for the State Department’s humanitarian and diplomatic efforts was also included.
The Senate still must pass the legislation -- outlining $584.2 billion in federal military spending for fiscal year 2015, which began on October 1 -- before Congress adjourns at the end of next week.
The Republican-led House passed the measure by a vote of 300 to 119.
The bill, a culmination of months of negotiations, extends training and equipping for moderate Syrian rebels, a program that had been authorized to last only until December 11, using existing Pentagon money.
It also includes Obama’s $5 billion request for funds to battle the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist group, including $3.4 billion for deployment of US forces as part of operation “Inherent Resolve,” and $1.6 billion for a program to equip and train Iraqi Kurdish forces for two years. Obama’s request for $520 million for the State Department’s humanitarian and diplomatic efforts was also included.
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