The defense bill, which the House approved 370-49, authorizes spending $696 billion for national security in the current fiscal year, which ends next Sept. 30.

The bill also authorizes $189 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, but Congress would have to approve separate spending bills before the money could be delivered to the Pentagon.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii voted for the bill, which now goes to the Senate for approval before being sent to President Bush for his signature.

"This defense authorization bill should not be confused with the emergency supplemental bills that have been used to fund the operational costs of the war in Iraq," said Abercrombie, a senior House Armed Services Committee member. "This bill is meant to set the stage for future debates over war spending while making policy changes that benefit our troops and their families."

Hirono said the bill also would give the military a 3.5 percent pay raise, blocks increased healthcare fees for service members and their families, and improves healthcare for injured soldiers.

"We are also taking necessary steps to restore our nation's military readiness, to protect our troops against improvised explosive devices and other dangers, and to cut down on contractor waste, fraud and abuse," she said.

Among the Hawaii projects that would be authorized: