The National Defense Authorization Act passed the Senate last week in a bipartisan landslide.
“This law provides vital benefits and enhances access to justice for military personnel and their families, including powers vital to support our country’s national defense, foreign affairs, and national security,” Biden said in a statement.
But he indicated in his statement that there were certain parts of the legislation that mattered to him.
“While I am pleased to support these critical goals, I note that some provisions of the law are of concern,” the president added.
He specifically noted that the measures include a provision that continues to prevent the use of funds earmarked for the Department of Defense to transfer detainees from Guantanamo Bay to detention or effective control over certain foreign countries.
It also has a provision prohibiting the use of such funds to transfer certain detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the United States.
Biden stressed that “in some circumstances, these rulings may make it difficult to comply with the final ruling of the court, including by restricting the flexibility of the executive branch regarding its participation in negotiations with foreign countries,” and urged Congress to reverse these measures.
The bill also provides $45 billion more for defense than the current administration’s budget requires, including $817 billion earmarked for the Department of Defense and $30 billion for the Department of Energy.
It also includes conservative Republicans’ demands for an end to the military authorization for COVID-19 vaccination, in effect since August 2021.
This approval by the sitting president is the 61st consecutive year that the defense bill has been approved on time.
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