Overnight Defense: Biden defends picking retired general for Pentagon head | House passes weeklong stopgap spending bill | Senate rejects effort to block Trump’s UAE arms sale

Happy Wednesday and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Rebecca Kheel, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.THE TOPLINE: Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd Austin took the stage with President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday, where the two sought to blunt criticism of Biden’s choice.The retired general is facing a significant hurdle because he…