Reuters reports that “a compromise version of a massive U.S. defense policy bill omits controversial provisions such as a clause Democrats said allowed discrimination against homosexuals and a requirement that women register for the draft.”

“The $618.7 billion National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, will likely come up for a vote in the House of Representatives late this week, and the Senate next week, senior committee staff members told reporters at a background briefing on Tuesday.”

“During months of negotiations, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate and House Armed Services committees agreed to eliminate a ‘religious freedom’ provision Democrats said would have let federal contractors discriminate against workers on the basis of gender or sexual orientation.”