The Senate voted 86-8 to pass the $738B fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes provisions on a “space force†and a 12-week parental leave for federal employees, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.
The defense policy bill also mandates a 3.1 percent pay increase for Department of Defense personnel and a repeal of the “widow’s tax†for service members’ families. Negotiators agreed to drop provisions such as a measure to block the reallocation of Pentagon funds for the southern border wall.
Defense News reported Tuesday that the bill would allow the Trump administration to use $1.4B from homeland security funding to support border wall construction efforts. The bill would also grant $40M to establish the proposed Space Force.
President Trump is expected to sign the bill before the expiration of government funds on Friday midnight.
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