Senate Passes Defense Bill

 UPDATE- (4:48pm) The Senate passed the Defense Authorization Bill 86-13.

The Senate will likely pass a $662 billion Defense Bill Thursday after the House approved the legislation 282 to 136 Wednesday evening.

The bill has garnered controversy over language relating to the detainment of terror suspects. Under the original language, the military would be required to hold terror suspects in custody, a provision that the White House warned could tie the hands of both the administration and law enforcement officials.

Initially, the White House affirmed they would veto the bill. However, after the language was updated to ensure executive power, they dropped the threat.

Still, some provisions in the bill have garnered continued criticism from civil liberties groups, primarily language that promises “Detention under the law of war without trial until the end of the hostilities” for terror suspects.

In addition, critics expressed concern that the wording of the bill was broad enough to encroach on the rights of American citizens, a fear that lawmakers tried to alleviate by adding text that states “Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities, relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.”

“The president should more carefully consider the consequences of allowing this bill to become law,” Laura W. Murphy, the Director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, said in a statement. “We hope that the president will consider the long view of history before codifying indefinite detention without charge or trial.”

The Senate passed the initial version of the legislation, which did not include language aimed at satisfying the White House, earlier this month.