The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a key defense bill that includes funding for the transfer of about 4,000 marines from Okinawa to Guam.

The bill for the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes an outline of defense budget plans, is expected to clear the Senate possibly next week and will then be authorized with the signature of President Barack Obama.

The U.S. Congress had suspended the disbursement of most of the funds needed to move the marines to the U.S. territory, putting the project's feasibility in doubt.