US approves $37 billion Pentagon fund increase

Washington, Jul 14 (EFE).- The United States Lower House approved Thursday, with both Democratic and Republican support, a Defense Department budget increase of $ 37 billion, fulfilling President Joe Biden’s request.

The bill, which received the support of 180 Democrats and 149 Republicans, will now have to be debated in the Senate, where it is also expected to have bipartisan support.

In total, what is known as the National Defense Authorization Law – which has to be approved each year to provide funds to the Pentagon – grants the country’s Defense $ 840 billion for the 2023 fiscal year.

The military budget increase seeks, among other objectives, to keep pace with China’s competition in technology, to improve control over military aid sent to Ukraine in its war with Russia, and to identify and solve problems that led to the withdrawal from Afghanistan last year.

Military personnel will receive a salary increase of 4.6 percent, and the law contemplates requiring national security agencies to combat neo-Nazi and white supremacist activities in the Armed Forces.

The US has been claiming for months that the significant arms aid it is providing to Ukraine is not having any negative impact on its own ability to defend itself. EFE

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