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Senate Approves $895B Defense Bill with Record Pay Raise, Transgender Care Ban

Dec 18, 2024, 06:08 PM

On December 18, 2024, the U.S. Senate passed the $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025 with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 85-14, marking the 64th consecutive year Congress has approved the defense bill. The legislation includes the biggest troop pay hike in decades, providing a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% pay raise for all other service members. The bill also boosts overall military spending and authorizes significant investments in national defense, including strengthening relationships in the Indo-Pacific to deter aggression by the Chinese Communist Party and reinforcing the nation's artificial intelligence infrastructure. However, it includes a controversial provision that bans the use of federal funds to cover gender-affirming care for transgender children of military personnel. Despite opposition from some Democrats over this provision, the bill now heads to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.