On Tuesday morning, Senate Armed Services Committee (“SASC”) Chairman Jack Reed (R-RI) opened debate for the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”). The senate agreed to, via unanimous consent, the motion to proceed to Cal. #467 H.R. 7900, FY23 NDAA.… Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Armed Services Committee Introduces “By Request” NDAA Bill On June 7, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced H.R. 2810, the “by request” version of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This procedural measure is traditionally the first step in the legislative process … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Wednesday, May 17, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces has scheduled a hearing titled “Military Space Organization, Policy, and Programs.” On Wednesday, May 17, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland has scheduled a hearing titled “United States Military Small Arms Requirements.” On Thursday, May 18, the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity “Buy American” Provisions Could Impact Pentagon Former Defense officials are concerned that tightening “Buy American” provisions might affect the Pentagon’s ability to procure the best technology, following President Donald Trump’s April 18 Executive Order (EO) calling for an expansive review of existing federal procurement programs to increase government procurement of U.S.-made products. During a … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Administration Transmits FY 2017 Supplemental Funding Request to Congress This week, the Trump Administration provided Congress with its supplemental appropriations request for the remainder of FY 2017. The supplemental requests an additional $3 billion in funds for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including funds for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) infrastructure and border … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Unveil Report, Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Aviation Security On Monday, February 6, the majority staff of the House Homeland Security Committee released a report titled “America’s Airports: The Threat From Within.” The report recommends nine ways to assist airports, airlines, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to address insider threats facing the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: On Tuesday, February 7, the House Homeland Security Committee has scheduled a hearing titled “Ending the Crisis: America’s Borders and the Path to Security.” On Wednesday, February 8, the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support has scheduled a hearing titled “Current Readiness of U.S. Forces.” On Wednesday, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Armed Services Committee Unveils Subcommittee Leaders, Budget White Paper On Wednesday, January 18, the Senate Armed Services Committee announced subcommittee chairmen and ranking members for the 115th Congress, including for a newly-created panel on cybersecurity: Subcommittee on AirLand: Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chair/ Angus King (I-ME), Ranking Member Subcommittee on Cybersecurity: Mike Rounds … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Panels Prepare for Trump Cabinet Confirmation Hearings This week, Senate lawmakers will begin a number of hearings to consider President-Elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees. On Wednesday, January 11, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing to consider the nomination of Gen. John Kelly to be Secretary of the … Continue Reading
The 115th Congress convened on Tuesday, 3 January. U.S. businessman Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on Friday, January 20. Russia –Aggression Scrutinized At the end of December, the Obama Administration announced punitive measures targeting Russia for what President Barack Obama characterized as the “Russian government’s aggressive … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Committee on Energy and Commerce to Hold Hearing on MACRA Implementation On Tuesday, April 19, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing titled “Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015: Examining Physician Efforts to Prepare for Medicare Payment Reforms.” The Medicare Access and CHIP … Continue Reading
Historic snowfall levels kept the U.S. Federal Government from officially reopening until Wednesday of last week. President Barack Obama, however, met the day before with his health and national security teams to discuss the rapid spread of Zika and other mosquito-borne viruses in the Americas and steps being taken to protect U.S. citizens. The President … Continue Reading
The Senate was in session last week, while the House of Representatives remained in recess in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. On 16 January, Implementation Day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran took effect, as did a prisoner swap. Washington’s attention then quickly shifted to an impending historic blizzard … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Immigration Amendments Threaten Annual Defense Authorization Bill This week, the House of Representatives will debate the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 1735), Congress’s annual measure authorizing defense programs. During its consideration of the bill last week, the House Armed Services Committee approved two amendments that would ask the Defense Secretary … Continue Reading
National Security Strategy Last Friday at a Brookings Institution event, National Security Advisor Susan Rice released the Administration’s much delayed National Security Strategy. The President’s new National Security Strategy “provides a vision and strategy for advancing the nation’s interests, universal values, and a rules-based international order through strong and sustainable American leadership.” House Armed Services … Continue Reading
The Senate and House Armed Services Committee are scheduled to hold hearings this week to follow-up on President Barack Obama’s September 10 speech; where the President outlined his strategy to combat the Islamic State (ISIL/ISIS). Last Wednesday, House Armed Services Committee Chair Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-California) presented his strategy to defeat the ISIL terrorist … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Defense Authorization, Budget And the Sequester The Fiscal 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (S.1197) is expected to come to the floor on Wednesday, November 13. The Military Justice Improvement Act (S. 967) – a bill to address military sexual assaults that has 46 Senators supporting it – is expected … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Defense Authorization, Budget and the Sequester The Senate is in session this week, while the House is in recess. The Fiscal 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (S.1197) is expected to be debated on the Senate floor the week of November 18. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chair Carl Levin … Continue Reading