Senate passes defense policy bill; legislation heads to Trump

The Senate passed the fiscal year 2018 defense authorization conference bill by voice vote today, sending the legislation to the White House for President Trump's signature.

The bill, which the House passed Tuesday, authorizes $626.4 billion in base defense spending and $65.7 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funds.

The 2011 Budget Control Act, however, caps base defense spending at $549 billion in 2018, and Republicans and Democrats have yet to compromise on a final appropriations package. All OCO spending is exempt from the BCA cap.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) said Wednesday he is unsure if congressional appropriators will provide topline funding for defense to match what he has championed in the defense authorization bill.

"Obviously what we authorized yesterday is not the end of the story," Thornberry said.