As deadline nears, Senate approves $674 billion defense budget bill

[JHan]

13. optics I imagine. It had increased funding to social programs but...

he voted against to avoid "poison pill" policy riders, and for Democrats, the priority would have been to get this passed with the increases to social programs, imperfect tho they may be. Still, a narrative will be framed that he stuck to his beliefs over voting on something which expands defense funding. ( If we see this narrative emerge, remember other Democrats voted against the NDAA including Harris and Gilibrand)

Rand Paul wanted to include a rider that would stop funding to Planned Parenthood. Flake, Toomey, Lee, Sasse and Perdue made ideological cases to vote against it ( the kind of rhetoric their constituents like). I saw some complaints on Social Media about Dems voting on this, and it MIGHT be used to criticize "establishment Democrats" by people who don't know what else is in the budget.