
The House wrapped up three days of floor debate on its fiscal 2018 defense authorization bill (H.R. 2810) July 14 and approved the legislation by a bipartisan 344-81 vote.Voting “aye” on the $696-billion measure were 227 Republicans and 117 Democrats. Voting “noe” were eight Republicans and 73 Democrats. Eight representatives did not vote.In a statement after the vote, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the bill would take “the necessary steps to begin to…