The proposed budget is $45 billion more than what was proposed by Biden, with 83 lawmakers approving it and 11 voting against it.
According to Press TV, the bill, known as National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), now heads to the White House for Biden’s signature.
The fiscal 2023 NDAA authorizes $858 billion in military spending and includes a 4.6 percent pay increase for the troops, funding for purchases of weapons, ships and aircraft, and billions of dollars in military assistance and fast-tracked weapons procurement for Taiwan.
"This is the most important bill we do every year," Senator James Inhofe, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement.
Since 2017, the US has approved more than $20 billion in weapons sales to Chinese Taipei, much to the chagrin of Beijing.
China has sovereignty over Taipei, and under the internationally-recognized “one-China” policy, nearly all countries recognize that sovereignty, meaning that they would not establish diplomatic contact with its secessionist government.
The US professes adherence to the principle, but in violation of its own stated policy and in an attempt to irritate Beijing, Washington courts the secessionist government in Taipei and supplies it with armaments.
The bill also gives the green light to more funds to develop hypersonic weapons, close the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii and purchase weapons systems including Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jets and ships made by General Dynamics.
In addition, the fiscal 2023 NDAA provides Ukraine with at least $800 million in additional military assistance next year.
MNA
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