US 'in turmoil' over defense spending bill

(Baonghean) - On June 14, the US Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with an overwhelming majority. Thus, this bill has passed three important "barriers": the Senate Armed Services Committee, the House of Representatives and the Senate. However, it is likely that the US President will veto this bill again like he did last year, showing that the battle between the Obama administration and the Republican-controlled Congress is still a long story with no end in sight.

Supporters "gloat"

Despite President Barack Obama’s opposition, the National Defense Authorization Act passed the US Senate with an overwhelming vote: 85 votes in favor and 13 votes against. Of these, only 6 Republican and 7 Democratic senators voted against the bill, demonstrating a rare bipartisan consensus in the US Senate. Previously, the bill was also passed with an overwhelming vote in the Senate Armed Services Committee and in the House of Representatives.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain was the happiest person when the Bill was passed. Photo: AP.

The new National Defense Authorization Act is the document authorizing the disbursement of the US defense budget for the 2017 fiscal year, which begins on October 1. With a budget package of 602 billion USD, this bill is considered to clearly reflect the hardline stance of the Republican Party in the field of national security and defense.

The bill prevents the Department of Defense from reducing the number of active-duty troops by providing provisions that would keep the Army below 480,000, increase the Air Force and Marine Corps by 7,000, and increase the pay of soldiers by 2.1 percent. The bill also calls for additional funding to increase the military, purchase more warships, fighter jets, and more. The bill also includes provisions to amend the arms procurement management process, with primary management responsibility shifting from an office within the Pentagon to two deputy secretaries of defense.

Senate Republicans were delighted with the victory, saying the bill would help the US make financial decisions and give US soldiers the tools to protect the country from potential threats at home and abroad.

The bill's supporters' arguments are further reinforced as the United States continues to reel from the deadly shooting that left at least 50 people dead in Orlando.

According to Senator Mitch McConnell, although the killer's motive is still under investigation, the Barack Obama administration's policy to fight IS has proven ineffective, and passing the defense bill is "one of the measures for the United States to fight against IS".

Meanwhile, Senator Dick Durbin emphasized, "The bill is a victory for national security and the people who have paid for the State. We must destroy ISIS before they can reach the octopus in America, and to do that, we need a stronger military force."

President Obama determined to prevent

If “national security” is the main reason for supporters of the National Defense Authorization Act, the list of reasons to oppose the bill of US President Barack Obama is even longer. The most notable of which is the bill's transfer of $18 billion in special war funds - known as Overseas Contingent Operations (OCO) - to short-term military spending programs such as troop increases, aircraft and warship purchases. Mr. Obama believes that this is unfair and endangers those who are on duty to protect the US, discourages soldiers and their families, and "makes it difficult" for US allies.

Closing Guantanamo Prison - the goal that made President Obama determined to block the National Defense Authorization Bill. Photo: Reuters

Another reason why the bill faced strong opposition from Mr. Obama was the provisions that prevented the closure of the Guantanamo prison in Cuba. Everyone understands how hard Mr. Barack Obama has been trying to achieve this goal, making his personal mark during the final days of his presidency, in addition to the "milestones" he has achieved such as normalizing relations with Cuba, reaching a nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group.

The Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Bill must match the version passed by the House on May 18 before the two chambers can vote together. The bill will then be sent to the White House for President Obama to sign or veto before September 30, the end of the 2016 fiscal year.

However, many experts believe that President Obama will almost certainly not sign this bill, because he has never shown any sign of concession to the Republican demand to separate budget cuts from funding for the Department of Defense.

Last year, President Obama made a similar decision. At that time, both the Senate and the House of Representatives would have to vote again to override the President’s veto. And once again, the public would witness a new battle between the Obama administration and the Republican-controlled Congress - a scenario that has been “replayed” many times since the Democrats lost control of Congress in 2014.

Thuy Ngoc