Defense Bill Passed

WASHINGTON--Congress yesterday sent the White House a $296 billion defense authorization bill, and Republicans say President Reagan will sign it despite moderate arms control restrictions.

The Senate approved by a 86-9 vote a bipartisan compromise that the House adopted Wednesday by a 264-158 vote. Most of the opposition came from conservative Republicans.

Reagan had threatened to veto an earlier version, passed by the House last May, which would have cut defense spending more drastically and imposed harsher arms control restrictions. The administration feared that the bill would hamper the United States in arms negotiations with the Soviet Union.