VERY POORLY written article.
The first rule is to introduce your subject!
There is no clue as what the objectionable elements of the NDAA were, such that the reader has a hint at what the States are objecting to.
Had to read past 6 paragraphs to get that info.
I agree that historically typical journalese taught in America’s universities the subject was to be contained in the first paragraph and what follows was just additional info that supports the article’s thesis.
As you well know the vomit that gets regurgitated out of Congress is designed to make little or no sense. These fools are called legislators and they believe they must do a lot of that.