US Senate Okays $631 bn Defense Budget

(Washington) – The US Senate has unanimously passed the Pentagon’s 2013 budget, despite a political impasse over debt reduction that could see huge cuts to military spending next year. After months of negotiations, lawmakers voted 98-0 to approve the $631 billion National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.
The bill must be reconciled with a version passed earlier this year in the House of Representatives before going to President Barack Obama’s desk for signature, although the White House has threatened to veto the act on account of restrictions on the use of funds to transfer detainees held at the US Naval facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to foreign countries; and to the proposed trimming of civilian and contract workers.