GOP-CONTROLLED HOUSE IGNORES VETO THREAT FROM WH, PASSES SWEEPING $638B DEFENSE BILL THAT WOULD LIMIT OBAMA’S POWER

Ignoring a White House veto threat, the Republican-controlled House voted 315-108 for a sweeping, $638 billion defense bill on Friday, which would block President Barack Obama from closing the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and limit his efforts to reduce nuclear weapons.

The legislation also imposes new punishments on members of the armed services found guilty of rape or sexual assault as outrage over the crisis in the military has galvanized Congress.

The House bill containing the provisions on sex-related crimes that the Obama administration supports as well as the detention policies that it vigorously opposes must be reconciled with a Senate version before heading to the president’s desk. The Senate measure, expected to be considered this fall, costs $13 billion less than the House bill – a budgetary difference that also will have to be resolved. 
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