There is a lot of talk from the White House of President Obama vetoing this bill.

WASHINGTON DC – Senate Democrats on Wednesday joined with Republicans to approve an annual defense bill, defying a veto threat from President Obama.

The Senate voted 70-27 in favor of the $612 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a wide-ranging measure that would set policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon. Twenty Democrats voted yes, as did Sen. Angus King (Maine), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats.

While the vote total would be enough for Republicans to override Obama’s promised veto, Democratic leaders insist that some of their members would vote differently if asked to override the president.

“The president is going to veto this. Everyone knows this,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said ahead of the vote. “The House, if they are called upon first to sustain the veto, they will do it. If we’re called up on first to sustain the veto, we will do it.”

Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Rand Paul (Ky.), who are both running for president, were the only Republicans to vote against the bill. Two other 2016 candidates, Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.), didn’t vote.

The policy bill has been pulled into the larger battle over the GOP’s budget plan, which would appropriate $38 billion to the Pentagon through a war fund account.  (read more)