TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday (July 14) passed a defense spending bill that includes strengthened military coordination between the U.S. and Taiwan, military cybersecurity cooperation with Taiwan, and solving the problem of delays in the delivery of arms to Taiwan.

On Wednesday (July 12), the House began debate on the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that comprises US$876.8 billion in spending for the Department of Defense. After three days of deliberation, the House narrowly passed the bill on Friday with a narrow margin of 219 votes in favor and 210 against.

Due to the deliberation process, it is uncertain which provisions have been passed, amended, or rejected. However, according to the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, this bill includes certain provisions directly derived from the 10 policy recommendations issued by Mike Gallagher, the chair of the committee.

According to a CNA report, the adopted recommendations include strengthening U.S. military coordination with Taiwan in the form of exercises, formulating joint operational concepts, and tactics, technology, procedures, and other security measures to assist Taiwan's self-defense needs. They call for instructing the U.S. secretary of defense and the secretary of state to submit a report assessing Taiwan's defense equipment, services, and training requirements to address the backlog of arms sales to Taiwan.

The provision of asymmetric defense capabilities to Taiwan is to be accelerated. Military cybersecurity cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan is to be strengthened.

A proposal by Representative Tom Tiffany to bar the Pentagon from spending money to produce, purchase or display any maps that improperly designate Taiwan's main island or its outer islands as Chinese territory also passed.

After passing the House of Representatives, the Senate is also expected to consider its version of the defense authorization bill next week.