(Image Source: Flickr/robinline) 

BY VICTORIA CRAIG
 

You're watching multisource video political news analysis from Newsy. 

Defying a presidential veto threat, the Senate has overwhelmingly voted to pass a $662 billion Pentagon appropriations bill -- Tuscon’s KMSB explains why the President Obama is so opposed to the legislation.

“The reason the bill is controversial, though, is that it would require the military to hold suspected terrorists linked to Al Qaeda or its affiliates -- even those captured right here on US soil. That means they would bypass the legal system entirely."

It’s called the Defense Reauthorization Bill. The Huffington Post expands and explains why the legislation has many civil rights groups up in arms.

“The series of detention provisions challenges citizens' constitutional rights, tests the boundaries of executive and legislative branch authority and sets up a confrontation with the Democratic commander in chief.”

But a columnist for the Washington Times tells Fox News a presidential veto may not be Obama’s best choice. He says the president’s threat could put the him in a tight corner in the future — as his party is increasingly forced to compromise with Republicans.

“Going forward they’re going to have to negotiate even more and so they’re gong to strike these kinds of deals and if President Obama doesn’t make good on a veto threat, then that’s going to take a real important threatening tool -- really the only one the president has -- off the table.”

But Politico advises its readers not to look too far down the road. It remains optimistic, saying there’s still plenty of time for changes to be made to the bill before a final version comes under Obama’s veto pen.

“There will still be opportunities to change the detainee provision when it moves into negotiations with the House, meaning a compromise could work itself out … Still, Republicans in both chambers are insistent on including tough language over the treatment of detainees, and since [Carl] Levin’s position won approval in the Senate, the Obama administration could be rolled by Capitol Hill."

As CNN explains, the president’s threat to veto the bill comes from his dislike for one small portion. There’s much more to the bill than just the provision to hold suspected terrorists.

“The Defense Reauthorization Act would approve funding for aircraft, missile and ammunition procurement, and approve shipbuilding, weapon research and development, and pay for soldiers....It would provide about $117 billion for war spending and another $17.5 billion for military programs overseen by the Department of Energy.”

During the final weeks of the congressional session, the bill will be reconciled with a House passed version.