NDAA UNDERWAY: The Senate has begun work in earnest on the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. Sen. John McCain delivered an impassioned speech on the Senate floor yesterday for what he called, “one of few bills in Congress that continues to enjoy bipartisan support year after year.” The full text of McCain’s oratory is worth a read, as it gives a plain language summary of what the bill does and doesn’t do.
Last night the Senate easily approved the first amendment, a plan from Sen. Deb Fischer that would speed up how quickly after the bill’s passage Defense Secretary Ash Carter must work to maintain the readiness of the warfare medical corps and make some changes for Tricare beneficiaries.
The Senate will consider the defense policy bill all week, planning to wrap up on Friday, but what amendments it will vote on was still up in the air on Monday afternoon. A staffer for the Senate Armed Services Committee said the schedule is still being worked out.
Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre), National Security Writer Jacqueline Klimas (@jacqklimas) and Senior Editor David Brown (@dave_brown24). Email us here for tips, suggestions, calendar items and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work for whatever reason, shoot us an email and we’ll be sure to add you to our list.
Want to learn more about Daily on Defense? See our introductory video here.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said last month that she was promised a vote on her amendment to strip military commanders of their ability to decide to prosecute sexual assault cases. On Monday, she, along with eight other senators, wrote a letter to the president calling for an independent investigation into the Pentagon’s statements before Congress on how often it prosecutes sexual assault cases compared to the civilian sector.
The Senate is also expected to consider an amendment from McCain that would boost the overall funding level by adding almost $18 billion to the overseas contingency operations account to meet needs of the services that are not addressed in the president’s budget.
“Our troops are doing everything we ask of them, but we must ask ourselves are we doing everything we can for them? The answer I say with profound sadness is we are not,” McCain said Monday on the Senate floor.
He acknowledged that he doesn’t know if his amendment will pass, but “the Senate must have this debate and senators are going to have to choose a side.”
Other expected areas of debate are the purchase of Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines and whether women must register for the draft.
TANGLED TALE OF THE TAPE: A House committee is calling on Secretary of State John Kerry to testify about the altered video of a 2013 press conference, Pete Kasperowicz reports. “Yes, we have received this request,” State spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said. “We will discuss it with the committee as we do with any request to testify.”
Meanwhile, White House spokesman Josh Earnest chafed at the comparison between the White House, which removed an answer from a transcript of Earnest saying he can’t categorically say everyone in the administration told the truth of the Iran deal, and the State briefing erasure. Susan Crabtree has the story.
INDIA VISIT: Nicole Duran has a preview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. this week. Look for more details on the agreement between Washington and New Delhi to coordinate military ops near China’s backyard.
A CYBER MILITIA? Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said yesterday that the U.S. should be employing cybersecurity experts to protect the nation’s grid, but doing it outside of the NSA and Cyber Command, Rudy Takala reports. “We should take a look at the old-fashioned militia model that lets ordinary citizens come to their country’s aid. This could be through the traditional National Guard … but it could also be separate. In this theater of operations, it really doesn’t matter how someone’s hair is cut, or whether they can’t or just won’t do pushups for you, or if they just like to sleep in until noon. A cyber militia is worth exploring.”
SHH! IT’S A SECRET: At least for now. The Pentagon says Afghanistan commander Gen. Mick Nicholson has shared his recommendations with Carter for retooling the U.S. support to that country in its battle with a resurgent Taliban. Spokesman Peter Cook said yesterday, “General Nicholson has shared his views with the secretary and the chain of command, and there will be obviously a significant discussion going forward as to how to approach these issues in the future.” The key decisions: whether to delay the planned withdrawal of about 4,000 U.S. troops by the end of the year, and whether to end the ban on offensive U.S. airstrikes against the Taliban.
LGBT PRIDE AT DoD: The Pentagon hosts its LGBT Pride Month ceremony tomorrow morning in the center courtyard, which brings up the question of what happened to the promised new policy to allow transgender troops to serve. Cook says there have been “significant conversations within the building on that front, and we expect the secretary to be able to announce something soon.” Stay tuned.
ELON MUSK: Carter’s fascination with technology and innovation is evidenced by his invitation to SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to meet privately in Carter’s third-floor, E-Ring office tomorrow. The meeting is the latest effort by Carter to pick the brains of proven innovators looking for ideas to keep the Pentagon on the cutting edge.
NO LIQUOR, SOME LIBERTY: In response to the arrest of a sailor suspected of drunken driving, the U.S. Navy has banned all naval personnel in Japan from drinking and curtailed their liberty. A statement says the alcohol restriction will remain in effect until commanders “are comfortable that all personnel understand the impact of responsible behavior on the U.S.-Japan Alliance and the United States’ ability to provide security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.” The sailor was driving on Okinawa late Saturday, when her car crossed the center line and struck another vehicle, injuring a local couple.
COOK TIMER: As we continue track the on-time performance of Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook we note his Monday brief started 10 minutes late. But who’s counting? Actually, we are. But to be fair, checking the transcripts of other briefings around town, they also often begin with an apology from the spokesperson for being late. We are hopeful that at some point we can report a 1:30 p.m. Pentagon briefing started at 1:30 p.m., give or take a minute
BEE-YOO-TIFUL: The Navy released B-roll video of sunset flight deck ops aboard the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower yesterday. All that’s missing is Kenny Loggins (and F-14s). Two highlights: 2:55, which looks like a recruiting poster; and 4:15, to see the moment the sailor presses the launch button, catapulting the F/A-18 off the ship (he’s at the edge of the flight deck with his arms in the air.)
THE RUNDOWN
Military Times: Pentagon: No way to operate commissaries without taxpayer funds
Breaking Defense: The P-8, Singapore & South China Sea Strategy
Navy Times: Top Navy officer visits carrier Stennis in contested South China Sea
Stars and Stripes: US military wants India to counterbalance China’s rise as a sea power
UPI: Airbus reveals THOR 3D-printed plane at ILA Air Show
Defense News: Canada Targets Super Hornet Buy, For Now
UPI: American Systems providing Air Force test and evaluation services
USNI News: Marines’ CH-53K Lifts 20,000-Pound External Load As Tests Progress Ahead Of Schedule
UPI: Raytheon to refurbish Marine Corps vehicles
Defense Daily: L-3 Hires Aerospace And Defense Financial Analyst Heidi Wood New Position
Defense News: Panetta: Trump’s Remarks on Defense ‘Irresponsible’
Military.com: Obama Administration Rushing to Shrink Ranks at Guantanamo
Defense News: Constituents to Congress: Let’s Get BRAC Over With
Wall Street Journal: Ukraine Arrests French Citizen Who Allegedly Planned Euro 2016 Attack
CNN: ISIS shooting civilians trying to flee Falluja, NGO says
Defense Daily: Oshkosh Promotes JLTV Evangelist John Bryant To President Of All Defense Programs
New York Times: Iraqis Who Flee Fighting in Falluja Find Hardship and Hunger
AP: Advances on IS strongholds underlines U.S., Russia convergence
USNI News: Analysis: Defeating ISIS Remains Daunting Task
CNN: U.S. carrier now pounding ISIS from Mediterranean
Washington Post: A San Francisco lawmaker has had enough of the Blue Angels ‘strafing’ his city
Military.com: Coast Guard Icebreaker to Set Out This Week for New Project
Task and Purpose: The New Miss USA Is A Badass Military Officer
CNBC: Air Force museum wants current Air Force One for collection
Calendar
TUESDAY | JUNE 7
10 a.m. Dirksen 342. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will discuss TSA operations in light of the current threat to aviation. hsgac.senate.gov
2:15 p.m. Dirksen 419. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a hearing with State and Defense Department officials on Russian border and human rights violations. foreign.senate.gov
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 8
11:30 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council hosts a discussion on the future of NATO with Philip Breedlove, the former supreme allied commander of NATO. atlanticcouncil.org
THURSDAY | JUNE 9
8:30 a.m. Livestream. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Robert Papp, the State Department’s special representative to the Arctic, will speak at an event on national security risks in the Arctic. cfr.org
11 a.m. 1777 G St. NW. Republican congressional leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, talk about improving national security. cfr.org
2 p.m. Rayburn 2118. The House Armed Services Committee holds a hearing on stopping the flow of funding to terrorists. armedservices.house.gov
3 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The Heritage Foundation hosts a panel to discuss the major foreign policy and defense issues related to Asia. heritage.org
5:30 p.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Brookings Institution discusses the future of Islam and the Middle East through Shadi Hamid’s book, Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle Over Islam is Reshaping the World. brookings.edu
FRIDAY | JUNE 10
1 p.m. Newseum, Washington D.C. Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks at the Defense One Tech Summit. defenseone.com
MONDAY | JUNE 13
10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. CSIS and the U.S. Naval Institute host Adm. Paul Zukunft, commandant of the Coast Guard, for a maritime forces update. usni.org
10:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Daniel Allyn discusses challenges the Army is facing during a speech at the Heritage Foundation. heritage.org
