The House of Representatives approved the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2021, that would legislate $700 billion to defense expenditures, on Tuesday afternoon by a vote of 295-125. The annually-renewed, bipartisan legislation earned a veto-proof majority, after the White House threatened to veto the legislation if the reauthorization included a mandate to rename military bases named for Confederate figures.
“The Administration applauds the Committee’s bipartisan support for a national defense discretionary topline of $740.5 billion, which is consistent with the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Budget Request and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, and for the Committee’s full support of the President’s Active Duty Forces end-strength request,” a release from the White House reads. “Nevertheless, H.R. 6395 includes several provisions that present serious concerns. Among other major provisions, the Administration strongly objects to section 2829, which would require renaming of certain military institutions...If H.R. 6395 were presented to the President in its current form, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto it.”
The House just finalized its FY21 NDAA, one of the provisions that passed. In it, according to summary just released by @RepMikeTurner, is it "Encourages the DoD to consider renaming military bases after female soldiers who have served with valor."
— Tara Copp (@TaraCopp) July 21, 2020
JUST IN: The House passes the FY21 NDAA, 295-125. The bill passed with a veto-proof majority just hours after the WH threatened a veto over renaming bases. pic.twitter.com/7oyxMKyGGx
— Connor O'Brien (@connorobrienNH) July 21, 2020
The NDAA reauthorization is still being debated in the upper chamber, and a vote is expected later this week.