Tag: Defense Spending

A failure to pass a new continuing resolution extension would result in a temporary shutdown of the federal government, which would be highly destructive and waste millions of dollars, Pentagon officials said. (Department of Defense)

National Security

Pentagon: Continuing resolution bad, government shutdown worse

Jamie McIntyre · December 7, 2017 8:21 pm

Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., has declined to speculate as to whether he would support two Obamacare stabilization bills if President Trump throws his weight behind them. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)

Rep. Mark Walker says ‘no energy’ for Obamacare bills

Robert King · December 6, 2017 10:48 pm

Some of the increase is attributable to inflation and increases in existing programs, but about half of the difference, would come as a direct result of Trump's goals for expanding the size and capabilities of the U.S. military after 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

National Security

Trump’s military buildup would cost another $683 billion over 10 years, CBO says

Jamie McIntyre · December 4, 2017 8:40 pm

The DoD IG reported the Army botched its program to modernize its fleet of H-60 Black Hawk helicopters, failing to provide adequate funding and training for pilots and not conducting required airframe condition evaluations on some 460 helicopters. (U.S. Air Force photo)

National Security

Pentagon watchdog touts $2 billion ‘profit’ from rooting out waste and fraud

Jamie McIntyre · December 1, 2017 5:00 pm

Only in America could Amazon founder and boss Jeff Bezos have started an online bookstore in 1994 that would eventually be approached by the Defense Department for one of the largest contracts in history. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Beltway Confidential

The military may offer Amazon a $5 billion contract without accepting outside bids

Casey Given · November 29, 2017 11:03 pm

President Trump remains at odds with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., over an end-of-the-year funding deal and has expressed as much over social media. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool via Bloomberg)

Trump decries Democrats for holding defense funding ‘hostage’ after latest North Korea missile test

Diana Stancy Correll · November 29, 2017 2:52 am

There will be no shortage of legislation to discuss at President Trump's Tuesday meeting with the so-called "Big Four": House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; as well as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

White House and GOP look to avoid immigration fight as shutdown looms

Sarah Bedford · November 28, 2017 5:01 am

Defense hawks led by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, fought for months to get the NDAA and its $634 billion in base defense spending through Congress. Another $66 billion in the NDAA for overseas military operations is exempt from the 2018 spending cap. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via AP)

Congress passed a $700 billion defense policy bill. The Pentagon may never get all of it

Travis J. Tritten · November 28, 2017 5:01 am

"From my perspective, from a joint perspective, I don't think we're in crisis right now," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell (AP Photo/ Matt Ford)

National Security

Top enlisted leaders deny lawmakers’ claim that the military is in crisis

Travis J. Tritten · November 28, 2017 12:55 am

Trump is vacationing with his family at his beach club in Mar-a-Lago for Thanksgiving and is set to return to Washington on Monday. Trump will huddle with congressional leaders after he returns next week. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)

Trump to huddle with congressional leaders next week

Gabby Morrongiello · November 22, 2017 8:20 pm

Changing climate is a "direct threat" to U.S. national security, endangering 128 military bases with sea rise and global destabilization that could fuel terror groups, the bill says. (iStock photo)

Energy and Environment

Climate change is a ‘direct threat to national security,’ the defense bill says. And Trump is expected to sign it

Travis J. Tritten · November 22, 2017 5:49 pm

The defense budget is big. The only thing more costly than spending $700 billion on national security is to not provide that funding. (iStock)

Beltway Confidential

Congress’ budgetary uncertainty is harming the troops

Carter Ham · November 21, 2017 5:01 am