House passes defense bill over WH veto threat

WASHINGTON, May 22 (UPI) -- The House passed a nearly $600 billion defense authorization package Thursday, avoiding a number of controversial amendments and defying a veto threat from the White House.

Members voted 325-98, with 13 Republicans joining 85 Democrats in opposing the measure.

Of the dozens amendments proposed, among the rejected were a proposal from Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., to allow immigrants without legal status to receive green cards in exchange for military service, and two from Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., giving military branch chief prosecutors the authority to prosecute sexual assault cases and allowing victims of assault to sue the Department of Defense for damages.

The administration's veto threat came primarily over a prohibition in the bill to allow funding to go toward building facilities to house Guantánamo detainees, effectively rejecting -- again -- President Obama's pledge to close the facility and transfer its prisoners elsewhere. It also said the House version of the bill eliminated more than $50 billion in savings over five years from the president's proposed budget.

"The [Armed Services] Committee's changes increase the risk to the Department's ability to implement the President's defense strategy, contributing to a military that will be less capable of responding effectively to future challenges," the administration said.