House passes annual defense policy bill with historic military justice reforms

The compromise bill dropped proposals that would have required women to register for the draft.

Late Tuesday night, the House approved a massive must-pass $770 billion defense policy bill that authorizes funding levels and provides authorities for the U.S. military.

The final vote was 363-70.

The vote was a strong bipartisan one, even though several House progressives withheld support given some of their criticisms of U.S. military policy and the increase in defense spending authority, which they had hoped to cut.

The bill includes funding to support a 2.7% pay raise for both military service members and the DOD civilian workforce.