The House and Senate conferees working on a compromise version of the National Defense Authorization Act met Wednesday and told CQ afterward that House and Senate leaders will have to work out the remaining differences before the compromise bill can formally be introduced.

“Most of the hang-ups are on the leadership level now,” House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said. “But I think we’re pretty close. Whether or not we file [Thursday] or early next week is still up in the air.”

Lawmakers hinted that the final bill would not roll back the Pentagon’s abortion access policy at the center of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) hold on hundreds of military nominations.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill first.

“When the question is, can ‘fill in the blank’ mess up the timing in the Senate, the answer is always yes,” Smith said.

Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jensen Stidham