Senate Republicans sabotage defense bill

According to IRNA on Tuesday, Reuters news agency wrote: 45 votes in favor against 51 votes against means that the bill failed to get the 60 positive votes needed for its approval in the 100-member Senate.

The defense bill is usually passed with the support of both major US parties and is closely monitored by a wide range of industry stakeholders and other stakeholders, as it addresses the fate of many issues – from ships purchased to pay raises. Soldiers and how to manage geopolitical threats – are determined.

This year, the bill includes about $ 770 billion in funding for the Pentagon, which is opposed by Democrats, who say such a budget is huge, especially when the country has enough money for other issues such as health, education and Does not handle climate change.

U.S. lawmakers are proud that the bill has become law every year since 1961, and claim it shows their support for the military. Because this bill is one of the most important bills that has become law every year and it is used as a tool to legislate on other issues from competition with China to cyber policy.

Republicans say they voted against the bill because Democrats, who have a slim majority in the Senate, did not vote enough on the bill, which imposes sanctions on the Stream 2 pipeline. Opposition groups called for a boycott of the US-backed pipeline, saying it would hurt US allies in Europe.

Jim Inhofe, a senior Republican in the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the bill would eventually be passed and that he strongly supported it and that it should be passed soon.

In the Stream 2 rolling project, Russia will transport the gas pipeline to Europe without crossing Ukrainian territory.

The German government has asked members of Congress to avoid imposing sanctions on the Stream 2 rolling gas pipeline to prevent the US from losing credit.

Senate Republicans are pushing for new sanctions against the controversial pipeline to be added to this year’s defense bill.

The Biden administration is in a difficult dilemma in the meantime, as it must be careful not to jeopardize Germany’s economic interests in the Stream 2 pipeline project, and on the other hand it is under pressure to respond to Russian moves near the border with Ukraine.