The House on Thursday approved the National Defense Authorization Act, with a strong bipartisan majority backing the $886 billion bill and sending it to President Biden’s desk.

The measure, which cleared the Senate a day earlier, includes a 5.2% pay raise for American troops and clears the way for hundreds of billions of dollars in military spending for the next fiscal year, including funding to strengthen U.S. capability in the Pacific.

The compromise version that cleared the House by a 310-118 vote lacked the proposals put forward by conservative Republicans, many of whom tried to use the NDAA as a vehicle to roll back what they see as woke initiatives in the Pentagon.

Despite those differences, GOP leaders said the final version of the bill makes the nation more secure.

“As America is facing unprecedented threats across the globe, the National Defense Authorization Act will strengthen our national security against adversaries like China and Russia, and support our service members by providing them with the tools necessary to continue to be the most lethal and effective fighting force in the world,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement after the bill passed.

The NDAA extends military aid to Ukraine, providing several hundred million dollars to Kyiv for its war with Russia rather than the $61.4 billion sought by the White House. Republicans insist that such a large Ukraine funding package must be accompanied by more funding for U.S.-Mexico border security and a clear roadmap for how the Ukraine-Russia war will end. 

• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.