Record US military budget of $858 billion

(Patria) - The House of Representatives has supported a bill according to which the defense budget next year should reach a record $858 billion, which is as much as $45 billion more than what President Joseph Biden proposed.

The bill was passed with 350 votes in favor and 80 against, far exceeding the two-thirds majority required for the adoption of the bill, which will then go to a vote in the Senate, where Biden's Democrats have a majority, showing that both parties strongly supported additional investment in the world's strongest army.

A staggering $858 billion will be spent on the army's needs, including a 4.6 percent pay raise for soldiers. The money is also intended for a fund to purchase weapons, ships, and aircraft, as well as support for Taiwan amid facing Chinese aggression and for Ukraine fighting Russian aggression.

Ukraine will receive at least $800 million in additional military aid next year, and a series of measures have been adopted to help Taiwan.

The bill authorizes more funds for the development of new weapons and the purchase of modern systems, including Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets and General Dynamics' ships.