U.S. Senate backs $740 billion defense bill by veto-proof margin; voting continues

At least 75 members of the Republican-led U.S. Senate voted for a sweeping $740 billion annual defense bill as voting continued on Friday, a number larger than the two-thirds majority in the 100-member chamber that would be needed to defeat President Donald Trump's promised veto.

The National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, has passed the U.S. Congress for 59 straight years. Since the measure passed the House by a similarly large margin, backers of the bill hope that Trump can be persuaded to change his position.