House ready to debate defense bill

The House is set to vote on its version of the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill this week, with the Rules Committee scheduled to hold a hearing Tuesday to determine possible amendments to the legislation.

The committee has received more than 1,500 proposed amendments, some of which could prove controversial if they are ruled in order.

The bill, which authorizes $886 billion in total national defense spending and a 5.2% pay increase for U.S. troops, was approved by the House Armed Services Committee by an overwhelmingly bipartisan 58-1 vote.

However, the Rules Committee will have to decide on whether to include some amendments favored by conservative Republicans -- those related to abortion services, gender identity and diversity initiatives -- that could cost the bill key Democratic votes on the floor.

House lawmakers face similar partisan issues in the defense appropriations bill and have broken along party lines.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who is already fighting discontent among his party's hardliners, will have a slender four-vote majority if all GOP members are present voting on the defense authorization bill. Also, both parties have members who annually vote against the defense authorization, meaning there are several scenarios in which the bill could face an uphill battle for passage.

The Senate’s version of the defense authorization bill has not yet come to the floor, though it advanced out of committee with a 24-1 vote.