House Passes Massive Defense Bill Despite FISA Objections

The annual defense policy bill is headed for the president’s desk, nearly three months late but just in time for a home-for-the-holidays Congress to end its dysfunctional year. House Conservatives raised objections over the massive package’s exclusion of “anti-woke” provisions that the chamber approved in July, including repeal of the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy, and challenged its inclusion of a four-month extension of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA’s) Section 702, forcing a preliminary vote to adjourn rather than vote on a “flawed” bill. But Rep. Chip Roy’s (R-Texas) motion failed 307–23. Moments later, the House adopted the $886.3 billion Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a 310–118 vote, sending the measure President Joe Biden for his signature....