DRAFT PROPOSALS: A commission created by Congress two years ago has issued an interim report as it considers whether the selective service registration requirement should be extended to include women.

HAPPENING TODAY — VOTES TO END SHUTDOWN: The Senate is set to vote on two competing bills today that would end the partial government shutdown — one on President Trump’s terms, the other favored by Democrats.

Neither bill is expected to garner the 60 votes needed for passage, due to the Senate’s filibuster rules. This is Day 34 of the impasse, and a Washington Post report suggests Trump may be digging in for the long haul.

White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is reportedly asking agency leaders to identify the highest-impact programs that would be jeopardized if the partial government shutdown continues into March and April.

“The move was a sign the administration is beginning to prepare for a lengthy funding lapse, with negotiations between President Trump and Democrats at a standstill,” the Post reports.

TRUMP TO PELOSI — YOU WIN SOTU FIGHT: Trump sent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter yesterday stating yesterday he intended to ignore the California Democrat’s request to reschedule the State of the Union address. Rather, he would just show up to deliver the speech on Tuesday as originally scheduled.

Pelosi called his bluff, effectively disinviting Trump. After some grumbling by the president about the what a “disgrace” a “sad thing for our country” and “a great, great, horrible mark” it was, and insisting he would “do something in the alternative,” Trump caved.

“As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative – I will do the Address when the Shutdown is over,” Trump tweeted late last night. “I am not looking for an alternative venue for the SOTU Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber. I look forward to giving a “great” State of the Union Address in the near future!”

KELLY SIGNS LETTER: Five former Department of Homeland Security secretaries have signed a letter to President Trump and Congress urging the restoration of funding to the DHS, to ensure its “critical national security functions continue without compromise.”

The letter first obtained by NBC was signed by John Kelly, who was White House chief of staff when the shutdown began. Other former DHS chiefs who added their signatures: Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano, and Jeh Johnson.

3 DOWN, 1 TO GO: Armed with a favorable Supreme Court decision, the Trump Administration is seeking injunctive relief to clear the last legal impediment to imposing a ban on military service on most, but not all, transgender troops.

Tuesday’s Supreme Court decision lifted two preliminary injunctions imposed by federal judges in two separate cases in California and Washington state. A third injection had been previously removed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Pentagon said in a statement Wednesday the fourth injunction by a federal court in Maryland remains in effect, blocking implementation of the policy drafted by then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in February 2018.

“DOJ [the Department of Justice] is seeking relief from this remaining injunction in light of the Supreme Court’s action, but at present, it remains in place,” said Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokesperson in a statement Wednesday.

FIELD GUIDE TO THE HASC: Rep. Adam Smith D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and ranking member Rep. Mac Thornberry R-Texas announced top subcommittee slots for the 116th Congress.

Intelligence, Emerging Threats & Capabilities

Chair: Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I.

Ranking member: Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.

Military Personnel

Chair: Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.

Ranking member: Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss.

Readiness

Chair: Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif.

Ranking member: Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo.

Seapower & Projection Forces

Chair: Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn.

Ranking member: Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va.

Strategic Forces

Chair: Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn.

Ranking member: Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio

Tactical Air & Land Forces

Chair: Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo.

TERRORISM DOWN: Worldwide terror attacks decreased by one-third in 2018 compared to 2017, while resulting non-militant fatalities fell by more than one-quarter, according to the annual Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre (JTIC) Global Attack Index. The figures represent the lowest annual attack total since 2011 and the lowest annual fatality figures since JTIC began collecting comprehensive event data in 2009.

The report, released by business information provider IHS Markit, showed attacks by ISIS, which is on the ropes in Syria, decreased 71 percent from 2017. Despite a significant 51 percent decrease in fatalities, the group remains the deadliest group in 2018 in terms of recorded non-militant fatalities.

“The major decrease in attacks reflected the fact that the territorial losses suffered by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria across 2017 noticeably reduced the group’s capacity to operate territorially, switching instead to lower intensity insurgent operations, interspersed by sporadic high-profile assaults — particularly in Syria. The smaller reduction in fatalities also reflected the Islamic State’s continuing capacity to conduct periodic incidences of mass-casualty violence, most notably in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and West Africa,” the report says.

CSIS ON THE COSTS OF WAR:  Anthony Cordesman, the respected analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, is circulating a working draft of a report, America’s Military Spending and the Uncertain Costs of its Wars. It highlights the failure of the executive branch and of Congress to report the true costs of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and other conflicts in the 21st century.

“The U.S. government … has never developed a convincing method of reporting on the cost of the wars, and its estimates are a confusing morass of different and conflicting Departmental, Agency, and other government reporting that leave major gaps in key areas,” writes Cordesman.

“The result is a national embarrassment and a fundamental failure by the Executive Branch and Congress to produce the transparency and public debate and review that are key elements of a responsible government and democracy.”

GUNS ON FEDERAL LAND: A Nixon-era prohibition of guns on federal property controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be lifted under a proposal offered by a group of House Republicans.

The 12 million acres of land controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers are among the few federally-controlled lands where gun-carrying isn’t allowed, but lawmakers are seeking to change that.

Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, introduced legislation again in the 116th Congress that would allow concealed carry permit holders to bring their weapons on to water resources development projects owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers — often prime hunting grounds. Gibbs and House Republican co-sponsors contend the areas shouldn’t be treated differently than other federal lands where guns are permitted for recreational purposes.

Although the measure has historically received bipartisan support, it’s a longshot the measure will pass with Democrats in control of the House.

TRUMPS BACKS MADURO RIVAL: President Trump is recognizing a political opponent of President Nicolas Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela, as thousands of people were demonstrating against the Maduro regime.

“Today, I am officially recognizing the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela,” he said. “In its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, the National Assembly invoked the country’s constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, and the office of the presidency therefore vacant.”

In response, Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with the U.S. and ordered all American diplomats out of the country. In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. would ignore the order.

“The United States does not recognize the Maduro regime as the government of Venezuela.  Accordingly, the United States does not consider former president Nicolas Maduro to have the legal authority to break diplomatic relations with the United States or to declare our diplomats persona non grata,” Pompeo said.

GRAHAM BACKS TRUMP: “President Trump and his administration have risen to this historic moment,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham R-S.C. in a statement. “By standing with the people of Venezuela, President Trump stands for freedom.”

Graham added, “Strong American leadership is indispensable in moments like this. History will record that the Trump Administration was on the side of the people yearning to be free – not with their oppressor.”

GREEN BERET KIA: Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Z. Beale has been identified as the U.S. special operations soldier who was killed in Afghanistan Tuesday.

Beale 32, of Carrollton, Va., died as a result of injuries sustained from enemy small arms fire during combat operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, according to a Pentagon statement. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C., and was serving in Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, the U.S. counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan.

Beale is the second member of the U.S. military killed in Afghanistan this year. Army Ranger Sgt. Cameron Meddock died Thursday in Landstuhl, Germany after succumbing to wounds sustained from small arms fire during combat operations on Jan. 13 in Badghis Province, Afghanistan.

Last year, 14 U.S. troops died in Afghanistan, America’s longest war, which is now in its 18th year.

QUESTIONABLE RECORD: Nathan Phillips, who is seen in a staredown in a viral video with a Covington Catholic High School student on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial has a criminal record — including assault and escape from jail — and may have overstated his military service.

Phillips, 63, suggested high school junior Nick Sandmann, the teenager at the center of the viral encounter after separate D.C. rallies, face expulsion for failing to “accept any responsibility” or apologize to Phillips publicly.

Records released by the Marine Corps show that show that Phillips served in the Marine Corps Reserve between 1972 to 1976 and held the rank of private, E-1, on April 18, 1975. In April, he was quoted by Vogue as saying: “You know, I’m from Vietnam times. I’m what they call a recon ranger. That was my role.”

In fact, Phillips spent most of his time in the Marines as a refrigerator technician after initially being an anti-tank missileman for four months. Phillips, then named “Stanard,” was not deployed outside the U.S. and never saw combat, according to the Marine Corps.

THE RUNDOWN

AP: North Korea’s leader orders preparations for 2nd Trump meet

Military Times: Here’s why 22 Republicans voted against blocking Trump from NATO pullout

RealClear Defense: China and the Next Space Race

Washington Post: In Davos, U.S. executives warn that China is winning the AI race

Breaking Defense: Navy Builds Hypersonic Test Ground in California

Bloomberg: Boeing’s $44 Billion Tanker May Miss a Milestone by Three Years

Army Times: Report: Army’s new modernization command risks cost overruns and delays

Military.com: Blue Angels Jet Makes Emergency Landing During Winter Training

USNI News: Marines’ Next High-End Fight Could Call for Larger Formations, Tougher Amphibs

Air Force Times: Secret, president-directed raid earns AFSOC airmen Distinguished Flying Crosses

Washington Post: Former interpreters for U.S. troops wait out the State Department — and the Taliban — as visas decline