The White House says that President Joe Biden on Friday signed the National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA) into law, a massive defense spending bill for fiscal year 2023.

The 858 billion dollar bill outlines the defense budget and key national security policies including maintaining the current number of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea at around 28-thousand-500.

The NDAA affirms U.S. commitment to extended deterrence using the full range of its defense capabilities, consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and South Korea.

It also directs the secretary of defense to submit a report to Congress that details the nuclear capabilities of Russia, China and North Korea and strategies to deter the threats. 

The act also calls for supporting Taiwan by providing loans of ten billion dollars over five years to be used for purchasing U.S. weapons. 

In an effort to respond to China's economic coercive acts, the National Security Council must set up an exclusive task force and submit a related report to Congress.

The act also ends the requirement that U.S. troops receive COVID-19 vaccines but it will not reinstate members of the military who were discharged for refusing to get vaccinated.

The Senate voted last week to pass the NDAA with bipartisan support following approval by the House the week prior.