Overnight Defense: Senate passes defense policy bill | NATO chief hits back at Trump

by Rebecca Kheel - 06/14/16 6:51 PM ET

THE TOPLINE: The Senate passed its annual defense policy bill Tuesday despite a spat that prevented votes on the bulk of the amendments that were filed.

The Hill’s Jordain Carney has the story:

{mosads}Senators voted 85-13 on the $602 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which broadly lays out policy and spending rules for the Pentagon and the military branches.

Voting against the legislation were GOP Sens. Mike Crapo (Idaho), Ted Cruz (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.), Jim Risch (Idaho), and Ben Sasse (Neb.), as well as Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.).

Tuesday’s vote came after a last-minute scuffle on the Senate floor as lawmakers were repeatedly blocked from scheduling votes on their amendments.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) blasted senators ahead of the vote, suggesting some were taking a “their way or the highway” approach.

“As happy as I am about the size of the vote, we left out some very important amendments,” McCain added after the Senate approved the bill he spearheaded. “When we take up a bill of this significance, not every senator can have his or her way.”

For more on the overall passage, click here.

The passage prompted praise from those who got a vote on their amendment and scorn from those who didn’t. Here’s a snapshot of some of the reaction…

COMPROMISE ON RUSSIAN ROCKET ENGINES: A bitter debate over allowing the Air Force to use Russian-made rocket engines culminated Tuesday with an agreement for up to 18 of the engines.

The Senate passed the agreement by voice vote as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Supporters of the engine, called the RD-180, hailed the amendment’s passage as necessary to protect assured access to space.

“The assets we send into space on rockets powered by the RD-180 are essential to our military’s ability to understand what is happening around the world,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said in a written statement. “While we can all agree that the U.S. should not be dependent upon any foreign power — especially in the national security arena — it would have been far too dangerous to hastily restrict the use of the RD-180 before an American-made rocket engine is developed.”

For more on the engines, click here.

MILITARY JUSTICE REFORMERS VOW TO KEEP FIGHTING: Supporters of a plan aimed at reducing sexual assault in the military are fuming after the proposal failed to get a vote in the Senate.

Proponents say they will continue to fight for the changes.

“Today is a setback in our fight on survivors’ behalf, but it is no more than that,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the main sponsor of the proposal, said in a written statement. “I will continue to advocate for reform, and I refuse to back down or go away from fighting for survivors on this issue. Whether it is this president and Congress or the next, we will not give up until we can provide service members with a system of justice that is fair.”

The measure would have taken the decision to prosecute sexual assaults and other serious crimes away from military commanders and given it to independent military prosecutors.

For more on Gillibrand’s proposal, click here.

DEM VOWS TO BOOST AFGHAN VISAS: Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is pledging to fight for an extension to a visa program for Afghans who helped U.S. troops and diplomats during the Afghanistan War after failing to get a Senate vote on the proposal.

“I’m disappointed and disheartened that the Senate could not come together to support these brave men and women,” Shaheen said in a written statement Tuesday afternoon. “I’ll continue to look for every opportunity to extend this important program.”

A bipartisan group of senators led by Shaheen filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have authorized 2,500 more visas for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program, which is available to Afghans who served as interpreters during the war.

For more on the visas, click here.

IN OTHER NEWS… NATO REBUKES TRUMP: The Hill’s Kristina Wong was reporting from Brussels on Tuesday, where defense ministers, including Defense Secretary Ash Carter, were meeting.

She has the details on NATO hitting back at Donald Trump:

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday dismissed criticism from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump that the alliance is irrelevant.

“We are as relevant as ever,” said Stoltenberg on the first day of a two-day defense ministerial meeting at the alliance headquarters in Brussels.

“We are able to adapt to a changed and more dangerous security environment and that we are delivering both when it comes to increased readiness and preparedness of forces, with more forward deployment,” he added.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the alliance on the campaign trail, calling it “obsolete,” and too costly for the U.S., which funds more than 70 percent of its spending.

Read the rest here.

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW:

A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee will hold a hearing on U.S. policy in Egypt at 10 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2172. http://1.usa.gov/1Uan3DT

The House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the Pentagon’s ability to be audited at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Rayburn 2118. http://1.usa.gov/1UamSsd

A Senate Foreign Relations Committee subpanel will have a hearing on girls’ access to education around the world at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 419. http://1.usa.gov/1UqB6Tl

The full Senate Foreign Relations Committee will have a hearing on U.S. policy in Libya at 2:15 p.m. at Dirksen 419. http://1.usa.gov/1Q1D9RS

ICYMI:

— The Hill: NATO chief expects 1.5 percent increase in defense spending

— The Hill: White House threatens to veto $576B defense spending bill

— The Hill: GOP rep moves to restrict naming Navy ships after Congress members

— The Hill: Pentagon bounty program swats 100 security bugs

— USA Today: U.S. isn’t offering Libya military aid to oust Islamic State

— Reuters: U.S. plans billions in Afghan funding until 2020, seeks allies’ help

Please send tips and comments to Kristina Wong, kwong@digital-staging.thehill.com, and Rebecca Kheel, rkheel@digital-staging.thehill.com