AFP, Washington :
The US Congress adopted a massive US defence spending bill for 2015, on Friday, which includes emergency funding for military operations against militants in Iraq and Syria, as requested by President Barack Obama.
The legislation passed 89 votes to 11 in the Senate one week after it sailed through the House. It outlines $584.2 billion in federal military spending for fiscal year 2015, which began on October 1.
The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) was a culmination of months of negotiations. It extends training and equipping for moderate Syrian rebels, a program that had been authorised to last only until December 11, using existing Pentagon money.
It also includes Obama’s $5 billion request for funds to battle the Islamic State extremist group, including $3.4 billion for deployment of US forces as part of operation “Inherent Resolve,” and $1.6 billion for a program to equip and train Iraqi Kurdish forces for two years.
The authorisation includes $63.7 billion for overseas operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.
The US Congress adopted a massive US defence spending bill for 2015, on Friday, which includes emergency funding for military operations against militants in Iraq and Syria, as requested by President Barack Obama.
The legislation passed 89 votes to 11 in the Senate one week after it sailed through the House. It outlines $584.2 billion in federal military spending for fiscal year 2015, which began on October 1.
The National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA) was a culmination of months of negotiations. It extends training and equipping for moderate Syrian rebels, a program that had been authorised to last only until December 11, using existing Pentagon money.
It also includes Obama’s $5 billion request for funds to battle the Islamic State extremist group, including $3.4 billion for deployment of US forces as part of operation “Inherent Resolve,” and $1.6 billion for a program to equip and train Iraqi Kurdish forces for two years.
The authorisation includes $63.7 billion for overseas operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.
