Publish Date: 24 December 2022 - 10:30

TEHRAN, Dec. 24 (MNA) –  US President Joe Biden on Friday signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2023, providing nearly $858 billion in funding for defense programs and priorities, the White House said.

"Today, I have signed into law H.R. 7776, the 'James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023," Biden said in a statement released by the White House, Sputnik reported.

The NDAA authorizes a total of $857.9 in spending for national defense, including $847.3 for NDAA topline spending and $10.6 billion for defense-related activities outside of NDAA jurisdiction.

The NDAA also provides nearly $20 billion to account for the impact of inflation on various purchases and construction projects.

The NDAA includes a number of defense-related provisions, including a raise in military pay, a ban on military-to-military cooperation with Russia, and a repeal of the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

The bill funds US defense projects and programs, including $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and $10 billion to modernize Taiwan’s security capabilities.

The legislation also requires the president to impose sanctions on any US citizen who is participating in transactions involving Russian gold.

SKH/PR