Happy Friday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Rebecca Kheel, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.
THE TOPLINE: The Senate has sent the annual defense policy bill to President TrumpDonald TrumpBiden team says it’s ‘no surprise’ Supreme Court rejected Texas lawsuit Trump praises FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccine: ‘One of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history’ Giuliani says Trump team ‘not finished’ after Supreme Court defeat MORE’s desk, kicking off a veto showdown.
The Senate overwhelmingly passed the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in an 84-13 vote Friday, approving it with more than the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a potential veto from Trump.
The bill already passed the House this week in a 355-78 vote, meaning it now goes to Trump, where he’ll have to decide if he is going to follow through with his veto threat despite bipartisan opposition.
Though the bill passed both chambers with enough votes to override a veto, there could be a shuffling on an override vote with some GOP lawmakers flipping to stick with Trump and some Democrats who opposed the bill supporting an override.
The split: Top Republicans touted the bill ahead of Friday, underscoring the division between the president and congressional Republican leaders.
“It does not contain every policy that either side would like to pass, but a huge number of crucial policies are included and a lot of bad ideas were kept out. So I would encourage all our colleagues to vote to advance this must-pass bill,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump signs one-week funding bill to avoid shutdown Congress ‘close’ to massive government funding deal Overnight Health Care: White House presses FDA chief over COVID-19 vaccine | Committees reach bipartisan deal to protect patients from surprise medical bills | Sanders, Hawley vow fight next week over stimulus checks MORE (R-Ky.).
Republicans say there have been efforts to talk Trump down from his veto threat, which could imperil a bill that typically passes with overwhelming bipartisan support and has been signed into law for 59 years in a row.
“My hope is that if the number is big enough that the president reconsiders his threat to veto it. It’s clear what the final outcome will be,” said Sen. John CornynJohn CornynSasse: Supreme Court ‘closed the book’ on election ‘nonsense’ Overnight Defense: Congress sends Trump defense bill he threatened to veto | Senate approves stopgap spending bill to prevent shutdown | Navy searching for sailor overboard Murkowski ‘really disappointed’ with House lawmakers supporting election challenge MORE (R-Texas).
But Trump has shown no signs of backing down from trying to sink the bill, and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James InhofeJames (Jim) Mountain InhofeOvernight Defense: Congress sends Trump defense bill he threatened to veto | Senate approves stopgap spending bill to prevent shutdown | Navy searching for sailor overboard Senate passes defense bill, setting up Trump veto fight Defense pick faces big hurdle MORE (R-Okla.), who spoke with the president this week, said he expects him to veto it.
Trump’s backup: Though House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyPelosi: GOP ‘brought dishonor to the House’ for supporting election lawsuit Congress ‘close’ to massive government funding deal Overnight Defense: Congress sends Trump defense bill he threatened to veto | Senate approves stopgap spending bill to prevent shutdown | Navy searching for sailor overboard MORE (R-Calif.) voted for it this week, he has vowed that he won’t support a veto override.
GOP Sens. Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyTrump signs one-week funding bill to avoid shutdown Congress ‘close’ to massive government funding deal Overnight Health Care: White House presses FDA chief over COVID-19 vaccine | Committees reach bipartisan deal to protect patients from surprise medical bills | Sanders, Hawley vow fight next week over stimulus checks MORE (Mo.) and Tom CottonTom Bryant CottonOvernight Defense: Congress sends Trump defense bill he threatened to veto | Senate approves stopgap spending bill to prevent shutdown | Navy searching for sailor overboard Senate passes defense bill, setting up Trump veto fight The Memo: Hunter Biden twist brings new problems for president-elect MORE (Ark.), two potential 2024 hopefuls who supported the Senate’s bill earlier this year, warned that they would oppose the final version of the bill.
Cotton said the bill “stiff arms” the president.
“As this massive bill was written and then rushed to a vote, some seem to have forgotten to consult with the commander in chief or recall that he has a veto power,” Cotton said.
Neither chamber has been able to successfully override one of Trump’s vetoes during his administration.
SENATE PASSES CR: The Senate also sent Trump another imperative bill Friday: the one-week stopgap bill to prevent a government shutdown after midnight.
Senators passed the bill by a voice vote, moving the funding deadline from the end of the day Friday to Dec. 18.
The continuing resolution (CR) already passed the House on Wednesday, meaning it now goes to Trump’s desk, where he’ll need to sign it by midnight.
More work to do: Though a shutdown is averted for now, negotiators are still trying to lock down a mammoth agreement that would include the 12 fiscal 2021 bills and fund the government until Oct. 1, 2021.
“I remain hopeful that essential progress on these items will continue. We ought to pass a full-year funding measure and I hope our committees in the Senate and House can complete their work and deliver legislation next week,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Top appropriators and members of leadership have been locked in behind-the-scenes talks for weeks to try to work out an agreement. They already passed two CRs — Friday’s and a measure that passed at the end of September to get the government past the start of the 2021 fiscal year that started on Oct. 1.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said that the mammoth funding deal is largely down to the last hurdle: how to cover the cost of a Veterans Affairs health care program.
“The omnibus is moving along. We’re trying to work out the veterans health,” Shelby said. “That’s the big one right now. It’s the only big one.”
NAVY SEARCHING FOR SAILOR OVERBOARD: The Navy is looking for a sailor thought to have fallen from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt off the coast of Southern California.
The ship began the search Thursday “after a lookout spotted what appeared to be a person in the water,” according to a Navy statement released Friday.
One sailor was later unaccounted for, the statement said.
The Navy has since scrambled three search and rescue helicopters and other Navy and Coast Guard ships to help in the search efforts.
The Roosevelt on Monday set sail from San Diego on a scheduled deployment.
ON TAP FOR MONDAY
The Center for Strategic and International Studies will host an online event on “Civics as a National Security Imperative” with retired Gen. Carter Ham, retired Adm. Bill McRaven and retired Gen. Lori Robinson at 4 p.m. https://bit.ly/37aakPZ
ICYMI
— The Hill: Wisconsin Air National Guard pilot found dead after F-16 crash
— The Hill: Senate approves defense bill establishing cyber czar position, subpoena power for cyber agency
— The Hill: US to sanction Turkey over Russian defense system: report
— Associated Press: Report: Afghans losing hope for peace process amid violence
— Bloomberg: Board job likely bars Biden Pentagon chief from some arms deals
— Military Times: Biden’s VA secretary pick promises to ‘fight like hell’ for veterans and their families