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US House Passes $738Bln 2020 Defence Spending Bill

© AP Photo / J. Scott ApplewhiteThe US Capitol building is mirrored in the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC Dec. 28, 2018.
The US Capitol building is mirrored in the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC Dec. 28, 2018. - Sputnik International
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US House of Representatives has passed the 2020 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) that includes provisions stipulating sanctions against Russia and Turkey.

The NDAA passed the House floor on Wednesday evening in a 377-48 vote and is now headed to the Senate for consideration before the Pentagon's funding expires on 20 December.

Earlier on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump urged Congress to quickly pass the NDAA so that he can sign it right away.

The same day, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the "Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act", which includes sanctions against Turkey over its decision to buy Russia's S-400 air defence system.

On Monday, the House and Senate leaders unveiled the compromise bill after weeks of closed-door negotiations. 

The bill to fund the Pentagon calls for mandatory sanctions on Russian pipelines and bars military-to-military cooperation with Russia. It also sanctions Turkey over its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems and prohibits the transfer of F-35s to the country.

The legislation also sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 and Turkstream pipelines.

In addition, the bill includes provisions that authorise the US administration to impose sanctions on Syrian President Bashar Asad as well as on other individuals supporting his government.

It was reported earlier that the defence spending bill would also renew $300 million in security assistance for Ukraine, including for lethal defence weapons.

It also creates a new US space force and includes $71.5 billion for ongoing foreign wars or "overseas contingency operations".

The bill also requires providing reports on threats posed by China and military relations with Russia and proclaims that Congress unequivocally supports Hong Kong.

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