More than 180 House Democrats joined a nearly united Republican caucus Wednesday night to pass a sweeping $738 billion military spending bill that gives President Donald Trump his long-sought "Space Force," free rein to wage endless wars, and a green light to continue fueling the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen.

Negotiators of the 2020 defense policy bill, the National Defense Authorization Act, reached a compromise Monday that redesignates Air Force Space Command as the new, sixth armed service. The Defense Department will have to draw from thousands of military personnel in existing space organizations, including those in the Air Force and across the department. They cannot hire new billets.

The official creation of a Space Force simply awaits President Trump's signature and Trump has said he would sign it right away. The Pentagon's plan is to form a small staff of about 200 people to conduct the detailed planning work that will solidify the service's structure and make foundational decisions about the Space Force's culture, including its doctrine development and its uniforms.