(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (KUNA) -- The US Senate on Monday approved a bill that would provide USD 700 billion for the military, the largest such Pentagon funding since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began in 2001 and 2003, respectively.
Senators passed the legislation, which would pay for Pentagon programs and combat operations, by a vote of 89-8 vote.
The spending, for the fiscal year that begins October 1, will fund US missile defenses in response to North Korea and block the closing of any US military bases.
The 1,215-page measure now goes to the US House for negotiations.
The broadly-based legislation avoids a number of specific controversies, and lawmakers will take up separate legislation later in the year to appropriate the necessary funds for these individual items.
The Senate bill includes a government-wide ban on using Russian firm Kaspersky Labs' software, including military and government contractors.
Kaspersky Lab has denied it is a conduit for Russian government espionage. (end) rm.sd
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