“The Senate has moved the annual defense policy bill one step closer to passage and President Barack Obama’s desk, where he has promised to veto it,” according to Defense One .  

“But the Senate advanced the fiscal year 2016 bill, known as the NDAA, by a vote of 73 to 26. Twenty-one Democrats voted for the $612 billion bill, despite the Obama administration’s opposition to what they call a ‘gimmick’ — using the Pentagon’s war chest, the Overseas Contingency Operations fund, or OCO, to increase military spending while skirting the budget caps. Only one Republican, presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul, Ky., voted nay. The vote on final passage — which could come as soon as Wednesday — will likely see less Democratic support. But Tuesday’s count suggested proponents have comfortably secured the necessary 67 votes, or two-thirds majority, to override Obama’s veto.”  

“In the end, while revealing more divisions among Democrats than their leadership may like, the Senate’s actions this week may be moot — while Senate Republicans may have enough votes to override a veto, Thornberry and his Republican colleagues in the House do not. The House passed the NDAA 270 to 156 — meaning Obama still looks to have the final say, and it’s back to the drawing board.”