Senate clears key procedural hurdle to advance defense bill after Schumer and Pelosi strike deal on China competition bill

CNN — The Senate on Wednesday night cleared a key procedural hurdle to advance the annual defense policy bill. This comes after congressional leaders struck a deal earlier Wednesday evening, agreeing to negotiate on the China competition bill, a key hurdle that was holding up the Senate from moving on to the $780 billion National Defense Authorization Act, which has passed for the last 60 years. “Therefore, the House and Senate will immediately begin a bipartisan process of reconciling the two chambers’ legislative proposals so that we can deliver a final piece of legislation to the President’s desk as soon as possible.” Shortly after an initial procedural vote to begin debate on the defense bill was postponed so leaders could negotiate a path forward, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters that “nothing else is going to happen until that’s resolved.” Inhofe opposes the China measure, known as the United States Innovation and Competition Act or USICA, although it was supported by 18 Republicans and 50 Democrats when it initially passed the Senate in June. “I know there are hardcore members of the Senate Armed Services Committee who will vote ‘no’ on getting on a bill if it includes somethings he’s trying to include.” The committee’s chairman, Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who works closely with Inhofe on the NDAA and other issues, had said the resolution is “ultimately going to be up to the leadership.” The Senate is scheduled to be in recess next week for Thanksgiving and Schumer has said they will take that break if they pass NDAA this week or reach an agreement to have votes on amendments and final passage of the bill shortly after the holiday. In a statement Wednesday, the Biden Administration said it “strongly supports enactment of a National Defense Authorization Act for a 61st consecutive year and is grateful for the strong, bipartisan work this year by the Senate Armed Services Committee on behalf of America’s national defense.” In the statement issued by the Office of Management and Budget, the administration added that it “looks forward to continuing to work with Congress to set an appropriate and responsible level of defense spending to support the security of the Nation,” while also “working with Congress to provide appropriate resources for non-security investments and security investments outside the Department of Defense.” This story and headline have been updated with additional developments Wednesday.