The Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act cleared a procedural hurdle Tuesday night, when Senators voted 72 to 25 to begin debating the bill, as CNN reported.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) warned his colleagues against adding partisan amendments on controversial cultural issues, according to Politico.

“I certainly hope we do not see the kind of controversy that severely hindered the NDAA process over in the House,” Schumer said Tuesday on the Senate floor. “Both sides should defeat potentially toxic amendments and refrain from delaying the NDAA’s passage…. So far, we have thankfully avoided all of that.”

Senate leaders hope to pass the bill by the end of the month so House and Senate negotiators can start work on a compromise bill during the August recess.

Politico photo by Francis Chung