The Senate passed an annual defense policy bill with restrictions on transgender care and a pay increase for junior troops.

The annual defense policy bill, worth $895 billion, was passed by the Senate, featuring a pay raise for U.S. troops and a restriction on transgender care.

The bill passed with a vote of 85 to 14 and is now awaiting President Joe Biden's signature.

In the Senate, the legislation received a more bipartisan vote than in the House, where more Democrats opposed it due to the transgender provisions.

The bill prohibits Tricare from covering transgender care that may lead to sterilization for minors.

The House passed legislation last week 281-140, with 16 Republicans voting "no." However, only 81 Democrats voted yes, resulting in a much larger margin than in years past when the legislation typically enjoyed bipartisan support.

The bill outlines the distribution of $895.2 billion for defense and national security, which will be voted on over two months after the beginning of the fiscal year.

The 1% increase in the $895.2 billion budget from last year is smaller than what some defense hawks desired.

The NDAA outlines policy, but a separate spending bill will fund the programs it lays out, which will be voted on in the next Congress when Republicans will have a narrow majority in both chambers.

The legislation aimed to enhance the quality of life for service members during a time of record recruitment challenges, with a 14.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops, increased access to child care, and job support for military spouses.

The measure grants a 4.5% uniform pay raise to all service members, effective January 1st, while civilian personnel within the Department of Defense receive a 2% salary increase.

The U.S. government has imposed new restrictions on Chinese-made drones, including DJI and Autel Robotics, due to concerns that their use in the U.S. could be for foreign surveillance.

The NDAA requires a national security agency to determine within a year whether drones from DJI or Autel Robotics pose unacceptable national security risks. If no agency completes the study, the companies will be automatically added to the FCC's "covered lists," prohibiting them from operating in the U.S.

DJI is the global leader in drone production and accounts for over half of the commercial drones sold in the United States.

The bill proposes a $20 million increase in the budget for the development of counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and mandates the Defense Secretary to create a 'C-UAS task force' within 30 days, followed by a report on the military's recent counter-drone training efforts to be submitted to congressional defense committees within four months.

The NDAA, which contains transgender care restrictions, was passed by Congress after Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., led a group of 21 Democratic senators in demanding an amendment to remove those restrictions. However, the amendment was not included as it would have forced the bill back to the House. Despite months of conferencing between congressional leaders to find agreement on the yearly must-pass legislation, no agreement was reached.

"Baldwin stated, "We must clarify that we are referring to parents in uniform who have served our country and deserve the right to make the best choices for their families. I trust our servicemembers and their doctors to make the best healthcare decisions for their children, not politicians.""

Baldwin stated that she would support the NDAA if not for the provision that would affect care for 7,000 children.

Despite objections from other Democrats, the bill's provisions to bolster U.S. defense against China, increase military pay, fund new technology, and restock weapons supplies were supported.

"Of course, the NDAA is not ideal. It doesn't include everything both sides want ... However, bipartisanship is necessary to pass it," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed his colleagues' "frustration" with House Speaker Mike Johnson's "extreme, misguided provision" on Tuesday. However, he noted that Democrats were successful in removing "the vast majority of very far right provisions that had passed in the House bill" during the negotiation process.

The bill did not include provisions for a blanket ban on funding for gender transition surgeries for adults or a mask mandate to prevent the spread of diseases.

The bill includes provisions for deploying the National Guard to the southern border to aid in the apprehension of illegal immigrants and the prevention of drug flow.

The Air Force is considering a pilot program to test the feasibility and advisability of allowing airmen and Space Force personnel to grow facial hair.

The bill did not include a provision expanding access to IVF for service members, which has caused Democrats to express dissatisfaction. Currently, military health care only covers IVF for troops whose infertility is linked to service-related illness or injury.

The bill did not contain an amendment to repeal a provision that enables the Pentagon to compensate service members for traveling out of state to obtain an abortion.

The hiring freeze on DEI-related roles has been extended, and all recruitment for these positions has been halted until an investigation into the Pentagon's DEI programs is completed.

Johnson boasted about $31 billion in savings that would result from eliminating "inefficient programs, outdated weapons, and excessive Pentagon bureaucracy" in the proposed legislation.