House passes bill approving $770B in national defense, with focus on Russia, China
Fox News
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act that comes with a price tag of about $770 billion and the objective of countering Russia and China.
The bipartisan compromise also prevents the Air Force to retire most of the aircraft that was requested, but not the A-10 Thunderbolt II, Defense News reported. The report said a Senate provision blocks the military branch from retiring any Warthog next year.
The bill, which will now head to the Senate, also calls for $4 billion to be earmarked for the European Deterrence Initiative, which aims to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. The buildup of NATO defenses in the region has irritated Moscow and has contributed to current tensions between countries.