The House Appropriations Committee approved an $833 billion defense spending bill for next fiscal year. It includes the 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops the House is set to include in its version of the defense authorization bill.
The spending bill passed on a 34-25 party line vote, with Democrats opposed to conservative policy riders that slowed the bill down last year.
“As written, this bill does more to divide us than to unite us,” Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said, according to Military Times.
Army National Guard photo of Kaptur by Spc. Michael Baumberger