Senate advances must-pass defense legislation in year-end flourish

The Senate teed up a “very busy week” by voting Monday to advance a major annual defense bill, overcoming rifts over spending levels and transgender policy to keep the must-pass bill on track for President Biden’s signature.

Senators voted, 83-12, to limit debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, clearing the 60-vote hurdle needed to avoid a filibuster that would block or delay the measure.

The $895 billion legislation outlines priorities for the Department of Defense and sets the table for appropriators to provide funding. It is considered one of the most important bills of each year. The House approved it last week.

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the NDAA would be the first in a series of big tasks for the Senate before they leave town for the holidays and Democrats give way to the GOP majority in January.

“The Senate gavels back into session for a very busy week,” Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, said in a floor speech.

Mr. Schumer said he was eyeing a vote on final passage of the NDAA before midweek. He said senators also must pass a continuing resolution to fund the federal government, work on a water resources bill and approve more of Mr. Biden’s judicial nominees.

This year’s NDAA gives a 14.5% raise to junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% pay raise to all other service members. Lawmakers feared junior military members had been struggling to pay for necessities, especially given high inflation.

The bill eliminates copays for contraceptives and sets up a three-year trial program for cryopreservation, which involves freezing eggs or sperm for later use.

It includes millions for new military housing, child care centers and playgrounds. Other provisions expand U.S.-Israel military exercises, bolster Indo-Pacific allies to provide for Taiwan’s defense and support the deployment of the National Guard to intercept unauthorized immigrants and drug traffickers at the border.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said it shouldn’t have taken majority Democrats so long to get the bill to the floor.

“The fact that it has only reached the floor a week before Christmas is really inexcusable,” said Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican.

He also said senators missed an opportunity to make a larger investment in advanced weapons systems.

“Artificial budget restraints mean that major bill provisions like a pay raise for enlisted service members will come at the expense of investments in the critical weapons systems and munitions that deter conflict and keep them safe,” he said.

Democrats’ main complaint was about a GOP provision that bans the use of Tricare, the health insurance program for active duty members, for gender dysphoria treatments among minors.

Some House Democrats balked at the bill because of the provision, saying the GOP inserted a poison pill to target transgender persons.

“This year’s NDAA is not a perfect bill, but it nonetheless has some good things that Democrats worked hard for,” Mr. Schumer said.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin Democrat, told NBC News she planned to offer an amendment to strip out the gender-related measure, though the House GOP is ardently defending the provision.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that the House intervened in a pending case, Doe v. Austin, that centers on whether military insurance should cover treatments for gender dysphoria. The chamber’s legal brief points to the bright-line prohibition in the NDAA bill.

“Tax dollars should not support procedures and treatments that could permanently harm and sterilize young people,” said Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican. “House Republicans will not relent in taking action to protect America’s children from radical gender ideology and experimental drugs.”