The Government Accountability Office has found the White House Office of Management and Budget violated the law when it withheld $214 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine over the summer.
Monday, June 1, 2020
Monday, June 1, 2020
Key Issues NNSA report Iron Dome to CENTCOM LOGCAP V
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 Government Accountability Office has found the White House Office of Management and Budget violated the law when it withheld $214 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine over the summer.
House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) said he is alarmed by reports that President Trump will siphon $7.2 billion this year from the Pentagon to pay for construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Government Accountability Office has noticed the Defense Department's increased emphasis on accelerating its notoriously slow acquisition system, but the watchdog agency is concerned weapon system reliability might be sacrificed at the expense of speed.
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord said today Boeing should be "very forthcoming" with the Defense Department as the company's new chief executive pledges to "rebuild trust" amid alarming reports of efforts to mislead federal regulators about the troubled 737 MAX aircraft.
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord provided new details today on the U.S. effort to field counter-drone technology, saying the military is working with foreign allies to test and evaluate a variety of potential systems.
Senior defense officials are scheduled to speak at several events around Washington this week, including the Surface Navy Association's annual symposium.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing Jan. 16 to consider two nominations for senior Pentagon positions.
President Trump said today Iran appears to be "standing down" after a series of ballistic missile strikes yesterday hit two Iraqi military bases that house U.S. personnel in retaliation for the killing of top Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said today the United States wants to "de-escalate" tensions with Iran after President Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq last week.
The White House will submit the fiscal year 2021 budget request on Feb. 10, according to Chase Jennings, press secretary for the Office of Management and Budget.
Eric Chewning, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, will be resigning at the end of the month and will be succeeded by Jen Stewart, currently the minority staff director for the House Armed Services Committee, according to a Pentagon statement.
You read it, we noticed. It was a tumultuous year for Pentagon leaders, while the nation's largest defense contractors kept competing for big-ticket programs and looking to expand their businesses.
New defense authorization legislation requires the Defense Department to begin annually submitting data to Congress on the amount it spends for contracted services so the information can be included in the Pentagon's five-year budget projections.
President Trump today signed into law the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which allows $738 billion in national security spending and establishes the first-ever U.S. Space Force as a separate branch of the military, as well as appropriations legislation that will keep the government open through the end of September 2020.
The Senate voted last night to confirm three senior Pentagon officials before the end of the year.
The Senate voted 81-11 today to pass a fiscal year 2020 national security spending package that would provide $738 billion in total defense spending.
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord this week signed a statement of intent for the Pentagon to pursue specific defense technology and trade projects with India, including the areas of lightweight small arms, air-launched small unmanned aircraft systems, and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance systems.
The House voted today to impeach President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, ending a months-long inquiry into allegations he improperly pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a political rival vying for the White House in 2020.
The House voted 280-138 today to pass a four-bill fiscal year 2020 national security appropriations package, sending the legislation to the Senate.
The Senate voted today 86-8 to pass the fiscal year 2020 defense authorization bill that approves $738 billion in total defense spending and establishes a new U.S. Space Force.