The House of Representatives approved a record national defense bill (NDAA) of $858 billion, $45 billion more than President Biden asked. The vote was bipartisan and lopsided, 350 -80. A look at this chart tells the story:
The US spends more on its military by far than any other country, enemy or friend. Given the support for Ukraine and the increasing tension with China over Taiwan, there is no political will to reduce military spending. Here is a comparison to our potential adversary, China:
Given the astoundingly poor performance of Putin's military machine, China has to be considered the USA's main potential adversary. Still, military spending in this country is out of bounds. The 2023 NDAA includes funding for the ridiculously complex and expensive F-35 jet fighter, deactivation of the problem-plagued littoral combat ships and $800 million in security aid to Ukraine. The USA cannot afford to give its admittedly vital railroad workers seven days paid sick leave, but can waste billions on unnecessary and defective weapons systems.