The House has voted 281-140 to pass the compromise version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill, teeing up the legislation to be passed by the Senate.
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Saturday, October 18, 2025
Tony Bertuca is chief editor of Inside the Pentagon, the flagship publication of InsideDefense, where he focuses on defense budget and acquisition policy. He previously worked for the Sun-Times News Group in his hometown of Chicago, IL, and at the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester, NH. Tony has also served as managing editor of Inside the Army. He has a master's degree in journalism from Boston University.
The House has voted 281-140 to pass the compromise version of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill, teeing up the legislation to be passed by the Senate.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), who is slated to become Senate Armed Services Committee chairman when the GOP ascends to the majority next year, said today he is unhappy with current defense legislation because it doesn't do enough to increase military spending.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), noting her experience as a sexual assault survivor, said today she wants Pete Hegseth, whom President-elect Trump has nominated to be defense secretary, to continue to have a thorough vetting process including an FBI background check.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- House and Senate lawmakers have released a fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill that would approve $895 billion for national defense, sticking to the spending cap mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act though it includes funds for an additional Virginia-class submarine.
House and Senate negotiators have released the text of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization bill.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- The Defense Department today announced five projects receiving funding from the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program, making them the first to be selected in fiscal year 2025.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin today announced a $1 billion security aid package for Ukraine, including drones and rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- House Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said today he believes the upcoming budget will be funded at levels mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, though he hopes the Trump administration will be able to work with Congress to boost spending for fiscal year 2026.
SIMI VALLEY, CA -- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), a senior Senate Armed Services Committee member, today urged executives from the nation's largest defense companies to identify cuts to their own military programs in preparation for the "Department of Government Efficiency" review set to be run by tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy at the behest of President-elect Trump.
LOS ANGELES -- Defense technology companies Palantir and Anduril announced today they are teaming up on artificial intelligence, joining their Maven and Lattice AI systems and launching a new consortium with plans to include other contractors.
Outgoing national security adviser Jake Sullivan said today the Biden administration is putting the finishing touches on a last-minute effort to reform regulations governing the exportation of critical missile technologies to key U.S. allies.
President-elect Trump has announced his intent to nominate Dan Driscoll, a senior adviser to Vice President-elect JD Vance, to be Army secretary.
The Biden administration announced a $725 million aid package for Ukraine today that includes air defense capabilities, rocket system munitions, artillery rounds and anti-tank weapons.
The White House is seeking tens of billions of dollars in spending exemptions related to Ukrainian military aid and the U.S. submarine industrial base when Congress returns from its break to begin debating passage of a stopgap continuing resolution to avert a partial government shutdown slated for next month, according to a document obtained by Inside Defense.
Defense contractors, especially those with highly visible Pentagon programs that are behind schedule and over budget, are being advised to lay low and prepare to make offerings at the altar of President-elect Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency advisory commission led by tech billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.
President-elect Trump today announced his intention to nominate businessman John Phelan to serve as Navy secretary.
The Defense Innovation Unit today announced contract awards to software developers supporting the Replicator initiative, highlighting their roles in advancing autonomy solutions for all-domain, attritable drones.
The Defense Department announced today that President Biden has ordered a $275 million weapons package be sent to Ukraine, including munitions for rocket systems and artillery and anti-tank weapons.
Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord, who will be leaving the Defense Department when President-elect Trump is sworn-in in January, said today he believes Congress will increase the fiscal year 2025 defense budget and noted that the Biden administration, had it remained in power, was preparing to seek topline growth in FY-26.
The Defense Department has failed to achieve a "clean" financial audit for the seventh consecutive year, though outgoing Comptroller Mike McCord highlighted progress that has been made in accounting for the funds of all the military services.