New US Defence Bill Includes Security Aid to Taiwan, Ukraine

The US Senate began debate on Tuesday on a new defence spending bill that targets China and Russia, plus ramping up assistance to Taiwan and Ukraine.

The 2023 National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) is a “must-pass” $817 billion bill setting policy for the Pentagon.

Senate aides said it would include elements of a bill to significantly enhance security assistance for Taiwan that was passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in September.

The NDAA also includes new funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, authorisations for new weapons systems and a host of other provisions.

“We have to ensure that the United States can out-compete, deter and prevail against near-peer rivals. This NDAA confronts China and Russia by fully investing in the Pacific Deterrent Initiative, the European Deterrent Initiative and Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative,” Senator Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a Senate speech.

The Taiwan Policy Act passed by the foreign relations panel included billions of dollars in military financing for Taiwan and programmes to fast-track weapons sales and increase military coordination.

The defence bill is one of the only major pieces of legislation Congress passes every year, so it is closely watched by industry and other interests, as it determines everything from purchases of ships and aircraft, to pay increases for the troops and how to address geopolitical threats.

The Senate is out of session until after the mid-term elections on November 8, but Reed came back to Washington to formally start debate to ease the way for the bill to pass later this year. Reed said he was sure it would pass.

“There’s always friction but we’ll get it done,” he told reporters. Details of the latest draft were not available.

The NDAA has passed every year since 1961.

The fiscal 2023 NDAA must pass the Senate and House of Representatives later this year before it can be sent to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign into law.