Senate passes controversial Defense Act despite concern over indefinite detention

Federal government funding runs out Friday at midnight, and the clock is ticking for Congress to wrap up its business before leaving Washington for the holidays. Early Thursday morning, House Republicans unveiled a $1 trillion spending bill that includes a host of policy riders. Among them, are measures that de-fund DC’s abortion and needle exchange services, delay regulation of coal dust, and make it more difficult to travel or send money to Cuba. The President and Democratic leaders are instead pushing for a short-term spending bill that would give both sides time to iron out their differences.
Despite the uncertainty on Capitol Hill, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made this promise Thursday morning. “We are not going home without enacting a payroll tax cut for America’s working families and extending unemployment insurance for millions of Americans.” Meanwhile, the Senate easily passed the controversial National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House of Representatives last night. Alice Ollstein reports from Capitol Hill.