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December 20, 2013

Senate Passes Sweeping Defense Bill 
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The Senate has passed a sweeping Pentagon bill that keeps military
sexual assault cases within the chain of command while adding some new
protections for survivors. It also raises military pay by 1 percent and
bars the transfer of Guantánamo prisoners to the United States.
Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed the Senate will take up the
issue of unemployment benefits in early January when it returns from
break; jobless payments will expire for 1.3 million people just three
days after Christmas.

 

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