On Friday, the US House of Representatives passed its version of a massive annual defense bill, leaving out controversial topics on transgender troops and climate policy. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) sets military policy and authorizes up to $696 billion in spending for the Department of Defense. It faces more hurdles before it can become law, mostly because it would increase military spending beyond last year’s $619 billion bill. This defies "sequestration" caps on government spending set in the 2011 Budget Control Act.
