White House: Biden Will Sign US Defense Spending Bill This Week

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden will sign the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) later this week, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday.

"[Biden] is going to sign that later this week … I don’t have a date for you at this time," Jean-Pierre said during a news briefing, when asked when Biden plans to sign the bill.

Earlier this month, Congress passed the NDAA, authorizing approximately $850 billion in defense spending. The legislation also includes measures to raise US military pay, extend a ban on military-to-military cooperation with Russia, restrict significant transactions of gold with Russia and repeal the US military COVID-19 mandate.

Moreover, the legislation provides $10 billion in security assistance to modernize Taiwan’s defense capabilities, as well as $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

The NDAA also waived key contracting regulations and granted the Pentagon emergency procurement powers to accelerate the provision of munitions to Ukraine, sparking concerns about possible lack of oversight, which is often seen as an impediment to acquisition.

Earlier this month, House Democrats blocked a measure by Republican lawmakers to audit the billions of US taxpayer dollars used to fund Ukraine. However, Republicans are due to take control of the House and its Foreign Affairs Committee in the new Congress next year, through which they may be able to pass such legislation.