Senate Passes NDAA 2014 via Fast Tracking, President To Sign

Updated with roll call…

Andrew V Pontbriand
Activist Post

Late Thursday night, the Senate passed the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2014, in a sweeping bill now being sent to the president which reports suggest he will sign.

The bill is infamous for its language on indefinite detention and “disappearing” of American citizens. Once again, the bill was passed via Fast-Tracking while most of the country was sidelined on the Phil Robertson issue with Duck Dynasty.

The bill, now being sent to President Obama, also leaves out an amendment by Sen. Gillibrand on sexual assault prosecution, which in and of itself is curious. The bill passed the Senate in an 85-14 count, with the roll-call unavailable at this time.

“It’s a failure of leadership on the part of the majority leader,” Arizona Sen. John McCain told reporters, echoing Republican colleagues who said the accelerated process was designed to prevent tough votes on Iran sanctions and other controversial issues.

Also, the bill would authorize a release of $527 billion in base defense spending for the current fiscal year, plus funds for the war in Afghanistan and nuclear weapons programs overseen by the Energy Department, among numerous other controversial measures.

With the recent push by PANDA (People Against NDAA), having success on local levels blocking the Indefinite Detention provisions, it is no surprise the defense bill passed quickly, and while so many were distracted.

Andrew Pontbriand is an activist, researcher, radio show host, Contributor at Activist Post, and Founder of The Resistance Journals. Like his Facebook Page here