House passes defense policy bill beefing up Russia defenses

Published July 26, 2018 3:48pm ET



The House voted Thursday to pass a $716 billion defense policy bill that includes a raft of military initiatives aimed at countering growing threats from Russia.

The Pentagon would see a hike in authorized funding for its NATO operations in Europe and develop a new, smaller nuclear warhead under the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. The massive bill, passed on a 359-54 vote, also provides more arms to Ukraine as it fights Russia-backed rebels and gives Defense Secretary Jim Mattis potential waivers to wean friendly countries off Russian dependence.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.