US Senate approves $716bn military budget

The annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) bill came up for vote on Monday and was passed in a 85-10 vote amid strong bipartisan support.

The Senate version of the 2019 NDAA sets aside $639 billion for base costs such as purchasing new weapons, warships and military aircraft as well as paying the troops, while allocating an additional $69 billion to fund ongoing war that the US military is involved in.

To become law, the bill needs be merged with a similar version that the House of Representatives passed in late May with an effortless 351-66 vote.

While the Senate bill meets most of the administration’s requirements, it also contains several amendments that are expected to prompt disagreement at the White House.

Reducing US support for Saudi war on Yemen
One of the most controversial aspects of the new NDAA is an amendment that prevents the US military from providing aerial refueling support for aircraft that Saudi Arabia and its allies have been using to carry out airstrikes against the people of Yemen since March 2015.

The bill states that exceptions can only be made once Secretary of State Mike Pompeo certifies that the Riyadh regime is taking urgent steps to end the war and ease the humanitarian crisis in the impoverished Yemen.

At least 13,600 people have been killed since the onset of Saudi Arabia’s military campaign against Yemen. Much of the Arabian Peninsula country's infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and factories, has been reduced to rubble due to the war.

The US, the UK, France and other Western powers have been providing Saudis with weapons and intelligence over the course of war despite international outcry.

Ban on China’s ZTE
The new bill also includes a ban purchasing all products by the Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE Corp, which has been accused by Washington of violating US sanctions by selling American-owned technology to Iran and North Korea.

The measure by Congress seeks to kill the Trump administration’s agreement to allow ZTE to resume business with US suppliers after it agreed to pay a $1 billion penalty to the US government and replace its top managers.

This amendment is only included in the Senate version.

Turkey F-35 sales ban
The Senate NDAA includes yet another amendment that prohibits selling advanced F-35 Fighter jets to Turkey unless Trump certifies that the key NATO ally is not threatening the Western military alliance by purchasing Russian military equipment or detaining U.S. citizens.

Senators have included the amendment because of Turkey’s detainment of US pastor Andrew Brunson and its purchase of the S-400 air defense system from Russia.