House appropriators finish work on defense spending bill as progressives push for 10% cut

It’s largely a symbolic battle because moderate Democrats and Republicans have agreed to stick to the budget compromise hammered out last year, but the progressives have been promised a vote on the proposed 10% cut next week, which seems sure to fail in the Republican-dominated Senate.

SANDERS AMENDMENT: The amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, sponsored by Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, has been guaranteed a floor vote next week and has the support of Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer.

“The Senate will vote on my amendment to cut the Pentagon’s bloated $740 billion budget and invest in housing, health care, education and jobs in distressed communities here at home,” tweeted Sanders last week. “I thank @chuckschumer for his support for this amendment and securing a vote on it.”

Sanders’s amendment is co-sponsored by Massachusetts Sens. Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and Reps. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Barbara Lee of California. It would shift $74 billion from the Pentagon, exempting military salaries and healthcare, to create a domestic federal grant program managed by the Treasury Department to fund healthcare, housing, childcare, and educational opportunities for cities and towns experiencing a poverty rate of 25% or more.

WHAT PROGRESSIVES WOULD CUT: The bill doesn’t specify what would be cut to achieve the $74 billion in savings, but Lawrence Korb, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and former assistant secretary of defense during the Reagan administration, outlined what progressives were thinking in an opinion piece last month.

He suggested several cuts that he argued would not undermine national security.

• Nuclear Weapons: “For FY2021, the administration proposes to increase spending on our nuclear programs by 17% to about $50 billion. This will mean we will spend at least 20% of our total modernization budget on these weapons of mass destruction,” argues Korb. “The government can save at least $10 billion in FY 2021 alone by canceling the land base portion of the nuclear modernization program and the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) weapon as recommended by former Secretary of Defense William Perry.”
• Navy Shipbuilding: “The Navy should stop building large super aircraft carriers. This policy has been recommended by many experts, including the late Senator John McCain,” Korb says. “Not only are these large ships vulnerable to Chinese and Russian missiles, but they are becoming prohibitively expensive, about $15 billion each.”
• The F-35 Program: “The Pentagon needs to slow down production of the F-35 program. It currently has 873 software issues and a gun that does not work.”

“Taking these steps will allow the Pentagon to reduce its budget by at least $40 billion up to $700 billion, still more than the next nine countries in the world combined,” writes Korb. “To those who believe that this number is too small, it is important to remember that no matter how much we spend on defense we can never buy perfect security.”

Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by David Sivak and Tyler Van Dyke. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what’s going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue!

NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will be on hiatus from July 20-27, as we take a short break for the summer. We’ll be back in your inbox Tuesday, July 28.

HAPPENING TODAY: The full House Appropriations Committee will mark up the fiscal year 2021 Defense; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bills at 10 a.m. The defense bill provides $694.6 billion for the Pentagon, which does not include appropriations for military construction, military family housing, civil defense, and military nuclear warheads, which are covered in other bills.

On Monday, the committee released its reports on defense and other bills, which outline several areas in which the Democrat-controlled House is at odds with the administration.

Quality-of-life programs cut: “The Committee is dismayed by the contradiction of the Department rhetorically supporting military families while continuing to reduce funding for the very programs on which they rely,” the report states. “Within the immense budget of the Department, quality of life programs must not be the bill payers for modernization.”

Abuse of budget flexibility: Democrats are still smarting about the Pentagon’s use of discretionary authority meant to provide flexibility in shifting funds to meet changing needs as a way to thwart the will of Congress. While Defense Secretary Mark Esper has insisted that the Pentagon needs 3% to 5% annual growth in the budget, at the same time, he has transferred $10 billion to “non-defense activities not enumerated within the National Defense Strategy,” according to the committee.

“The Committee condemns these decisions, as well as repeated requests for more flexibility within the budget structure and reprogramming authorities to increase the ability of the Department of Defense to realign funding among different activities, with or without seeking prior congressional approval. The granting of additional budget flexibility to the Department is based on the presumption that a state of trust and comity exists between the legislative and executive branches regarding the proper use of appropriated funds. This presumption presently is false.”

Increasingly at loggerheads: The committee report decries that there no longer appears to be a partnership between the Pentagon and Congress, noting what it calls “a decline in transparency and cooperation.”

“When coupled with the Department’s disturbing actions over the past two years to fund the border wall, the contravention of the constitutional authority of the United States Congress has now become habitual. The Committee finds this to be both unacceptable and unsustainable.”

Blocking decommission of the littoral combat ships: The Committee recommendation includes a provision that prohibits the use of funds for the purpose of decommissioning any littoral combat ships. [See “Requiem for a deadweight: The sad saga of the ‘crappiest’ ship in the Navy,” Washington Examiner, Feb. 20.]

“The Committee is concerned with the Navy’s proposal to decommission the first four Littoral Combat Ships well before the end of their service lives,” the report says, noting that the Navy continues to assert a goal of 355 ships. “The Committee believes it is shortsighted for the Navy to always procure new ships, rather than effectively maintaining and upgrading the ships currently in the Navy’s inventory.”

Renaming bases named for rebels: The bill includes a provision requiring that the Pentagon complete the renaming process within one year of any military installation that is currently named for “any person who served in the political or military leadership of any armed rebellion against the United States.”

COVID-19 CASES SURGE: On Monday, the Pentagon reported a total of 18,016 cases of COVID-19 in the military since the beginning of the pandemic, with 10,554 active infections and three deaths

When you include civilians, dependents and contractors, the numbers are 25,822 total cases, with 15,149 still active and 42 deaths.

The numbers show a 60% jump in COVID-19 cases in the first two weeks of July, according to an analysis by CNN.

DESPERATE ‘SOS’ EFFORT FOR BONHOMME RICHARD: The effort to save the USS Bonhomme Richard from a fiery demise stretches into a third day Tuesday, as 400 weary sailors and firefighters battle a fire that broke out Sunday on the ship and threatened to burn it down to the waterline.

With temperatures in the belly of the 800-foot amphibious assault ship reaching 1,000 degrees, the Navy is still hoping that the $760 million warship can be saved. “I feel absolutely hopeful,” Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck told reporters Monday.

The fire appears to have begun in a cargo area where vehicles are stored, in a spot where cardboard boxes, rags, and other ship maintenance supplies were being stored, Sobeck said.

Because the ship was undergoing maintenance, its shipboard fire suppression system, which uses halon, a liquefied, compressed gas, had been turned off.

As of Monday afternoon, the Navy reported that 59 personnel, 36 sailors and 23 civilians, had been treated for minor injuries including heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation, but no one was hospitalized as of 3:30 p.m. Pacific time.

FORMER AFGHANISTAN COMMANDER SAYS RUSSIA SHOULD PAY A PRICE: Retired Army Gen. John Nicholson, who commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan between 2016 and 2018, writes in an op-ed in the Washington Post that if the intelligence suggesting Russian operatives paid bounties for the lives of U.S. troops turns out to be true, the U.S. should “respond forcefully, publicly and in ways that will drive home to the Russians and the Taliban that there is a price to pay for these actions.”

He advocates:

• The highest levels of the U.S. government and NATO should condemn these actions in language strong enough that the Russians understand that they are unacceptable and undermine any chance of improving relations and cooperating on areas of mutual interest.
• The United States should suspend the proposed withdrawal of U.S. forces from Germany. These reductions play into Russian desires to undermine, weaken, and divide NATO.
• The U.S. should pause further troop withdrawals from Afghanistan until the Taliban meet the conditions stipulated in the peace agreement.

‘APOLOGIZE’: Meanwhile, President Trump continues to insist the intelligence was flawed and last night retweeted a post by Geraldo Rivera of Fox News. “Interesting watching #NYT trying to worm its way out of #RussianBounty bullshit expose. No proof of any such specific program to target our GI’s. No wonder intell officials did not brief @realDonaldTrump Because they didn’t trust the uncorroborated, unproven report. Apologize.

OLD FACE, NEW JOB: The Pentagon announced Monday that Michael Kratsios had been designated to serve as acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering effective last Friday.

“In seeking to fill this position we wanted someone with experience in identifying and developing new technologies and working closely with a wide range of industry partners,” said Defense Secretary Mark Esper in a statement. “We think Michael is the right person for this job and we are excited to have him on the team.”

Kratsios is the chief technology officer of the United States and has led the development and execution of the administration’s national technology policy agenda since 2017.

INDUSTRY WATCH: Boeing has been awarded a nearly $1.2 billion contract to build the first lot of eight F-15EX advanced fighter jets to help the service meet its capacity requirements and add capability to its fighter fleet, the company said following a Pentagon announcement.

The contract could be worth nearly $23 billion, as future plans call for as many as 144 aircraft, Boeing said.

“The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the F-15 ever built, due in large part to its digital backbone,” said Lori Schneider, Boeing F-15EX program manager. “Its unmatched range, price, and best-in-class payload capacity make the F-15EX an attractive choice for the U.S. Air Force.”

“The F-15EX will replace the oldest F-15C/Ds in the service’s inventory. Eight F-15EX aircraft were approved in the fiscal year 2020 budget, and 12 were requested in the FY21 budget. The Air Force plans to purchase a total of 76 F-15EX aircraft over the five-year Future Years Defense Program,” the Air Force said in a release.

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: Fire suppression system on US Navy ship was inoperable during blaze that injured dozens

Washington Examiner: ‘I feel absolutely hopeful’: Sailors try to save $760M Navy ship burning in San Diego harbor

USNI News: Warships in Maintenance Always Face Increased Risk for Fire Damage

Washington Examiner: At least 11 dead and dozens of civilians injured in hourslong Taliban attack on Afghan intelligence complex

Washington Examiner: China begins ‘mass production’ of new stealth fighter jet

New York Times: Outbreak at U.S. Bases On Okinawa Aggravates A Strained Relationship

Reuters: WHO Sounds Alarm As Coronavirus Cases Rise By One Million In Five Days

Defense One: We Need $10B To Pay Contractors’ Coronavirus Expenses, Pentagon Tells Congress

Bloomberg: Top Defense Firms Get Biggest Share Of Accelerated Virus Funds

Washington Examiner: Pompeo speaks with Russian foreign minister about election security and Afghanistan

Washington Examiner: ‘Threats will not deter us’: State Department dismisses Chinese sanctions against Cruz, Rubio, and others

Foreign Policy: U.S. Preparing To Suspend Extradition Treaty With Hong Kong

AP: China accuses US of sowing discord in South China Sea

AP: US rejects nearly all Chinese claims in South China Sea

Reuters: Pompeo Spoke With Russia’s Lavrov About Afghanistan: U.S. State Dept

Virginian Pilot: Family Wants Military To Help A Marine Cope With A Sex Assault; Instead, She’s In A Brig

Wall Street Journal: In Military, Confederate Symbols Abound

AP: Strike At Navy Shipbuilder In Maine Enters A 4th Week

Washington Post: Opinion: The U.S. must respond forcefully to Russia and the Taliban. Here’s how.

Breaking Defense: Opinion: The Top 5 REALLY Important NDAA Policies

Forbes: Opinion: Hanging New Engines On 60-Year-Old B-52 Bombers Is Not Easy. Here Are Some Risks.

Calendar

TUESDAY | JULY 14

9 a.m. — Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Public Affairs David Stilwell delivers keynote address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies South China Sea Conference. https://csis.zoom.us/webinar/register

10 a.m. 1100 Longworth — House Appropriations Committee full committee markup of the FY2021 Defense; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bills. http://appropriations.house.gov. Livestream at https://youtu.be/nt5cEoI8QwU

10 a.m. — Association of the U.S. Army Thought Leaders webinar with Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson, commanding general, U.S. Army North (5th Army). https://www.bigmarker.com/ausaorg/Thought-Leaders

10 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual Army Signal Conference, with Army CIO Lt. Gen. Bruce Crawford; Undersecretary of the Army James McPherson; Army Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commanding general of the Army Cyber Command; and Ronald Pontius, deputy to the commanding general at the Army Cyber Command. https://www.afcea.org/event/armysignalconference

10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies book discussion webcast: “How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict,” with author Nina Jankowicz, disinformation fellow at the Wilson Center. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event

1:00 p.m. — Heritage Foundation virtual event: “The U.S. Withdraws from Open Skies: The Right Call?” with Tim Morrison, senior fellow, Hudson Institute; Peter Brookes, senior research fellow; Pranay Vaddi, fellow, Carnegie Endowment of International Peace; and moderated by Patty-Jane Geller, policy analyst, nuclear deterrence and missile defense, Heritage Foundation. https://www.heritage.org/arms-control/event

No time given — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Aerospace Nation conversation with Uzi Rubin, former director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization. https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation

WEDNESDAY | JULY 15

9 a.m. — Navy Vice Adm. Nancy Norton, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of the Joint Force Headquarters Department of Defense Information Network, delivers keynote remarks to the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual Army Signal Conference. https://www.afcea.org/event/armysignalconference

10:30 a.m. — Heritage Foundation virtual event: “How to Make the Pentagon Work Better and Cost Less,” with Peter Levine, senior research fellow, Institute for Defense Analyses and former undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; and Thomas Spoehr, director, Heritage Center for National Defense. https://www.heritage.org/defense/event

11 a.m. — The Hill webinar: “New Threats, New Defense: The Future of National Security,” with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Bob Cusack, The Hill’s editor-in-chief. There are 10 speakers over the course of the day, including Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman, House Armed Services Committee. Full list and details at: https://thehill.com/event/506745-new-threats

1 p.m. — Center for a New American Security National Security Conference: “Closing the Deal: National Security and Investment Scrutiny,” in which a mock White House meeting will weigh the economic and security concerns around a hypothetical foreign investment in a U.S. artificial intelligence firm. https://conference.cnas.org/session/closing-the-deal/

3 p.m. — Jewish Institute for National Security of America National Leadership Webinar: “Mysterious Explosions at Iran Nuke Sites,” with retired IDF Maj. Gen. Yaakov Amidror, and Michael Makovsky, President and CEO at JINSA. https://jinsa.org/events/

No time given — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Aerospace Nation conversation with Lt. Gen. Timothy Haugh, commander, 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber). https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation

THURSDAY | JULY 16

10 a.m. — SETA Foundation at Washington, D.C., webinar: “The Future of U.S.-Turkey Defense Cooperation,” with Ismail Demir, president of the Defense Industries of Turkey; retired Navy Adm. James Stavridis, operating executive at the Carlyle Group; and Kadir Ustun, executive director of SETA. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register

1:15 p.m. — Aspen Security Forum webcast: “A Conversation on U.S.-China Relations: Where Do We Go From Here?” with Kurt Campbell, chairman, CEO & co-founder, The Asia Group, LLC and chairman of the board, Center for a New American Security; Amb. Robert Zoellick, senior counselor, Brunswick Geopolitical and senior fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; and Anja Manuel, director, Aspen Strategy Group. https://aspeninst.zoom.us/webinar/register

MONDAY | JULY 20

All week — Daily on Defense goes on summer hiatus until Tuesday, July 28.

10 a.m. — Association of the U.S. Army Thought Leaders webinar with Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, and John Hamre, president and CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies. https://www.bigmarker.com/ausaorg/Thought-Leaders

TUESDAY | JULY 21

3:30 p.m. — Johns Hopkins SAIS Merrill Center for Strategic Studies webinar: “The State of the U.S. Air Force,” with Gen. David Goldfein, chief of staff; and Prof. Mara Karlin, director, Strategic Studies Program and Merrill Center for Strategic Studies. Register at https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register.

WEDNESDAY | JULY 22

12 p.m. — Association of the U.S. Army Thought Leaders webinar with Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3,5,7, U.S. Army; and retired Gen. Carter Ham, president and CEO, AUSA. https://www.ausa.org/events/noon-report-flynn

1 p.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual wargame: “A Deadly Game: East China Sea Crisis 2030 Play.” The CNAS Defense team and leading experts conduct a virtual wargame in the year 2030, exploring command and information concepts in a “New American Way of War.” https://conference.cnas.org/session/a-deadly-game