The INSIDER daily digest

Continuing coverage of the FY-17 defense authorization bill as well as the Pentagon's latest report to Congress on China are among the highlights in this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest.

Defense policy bill coverage:

Senate defense policy bill would eliminate AT&L post

In a major move sure to rile Pentagon insiders, the Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a fiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill that would eliminate the position of the Defense Department's under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.

Senate panel institutes Goldwater-Nichols reforms that define COCOM roles, cut officers

As part of their efforts to improve the structure of the Defense Department, Senate authorizers have put forth a number of Goldwater-Nichols reforms that seek to clearly define the role of the combatant commands and cut general and flag officers and the senior executive service employees by 25 percent.

Senate authorizers would penalize military officials for some uses of cost-type contracts

Seeking a larger role for commercial companies, the Senate Armed Services Committee is pushing the Pentagon toward fixed-price contracts it says require fewer "expensive government unique processes."

Senate authorizers calling for Nunn-McCurdy review of GPS OCX

Senate authorizers are calling on the Air Force to conduct a Nunn-McCurdy review of the troubled next-generation Global Positioning System ground station, regardless of whether the program declares a cost breach.

Senate authorizers pass bill that directs Nunn-McCurdy review of carrier advanced arresting gear

The Senate Armed Services Committee has passed a defense policy bill that not only directs a Nunn-McCurdy review of the Navy's carrier Advanced Arresting Gear but prohibits procurement funding for the effort.

Senate defense policy bill requires F-35 follow-on modernization as separate acquisition program

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a defense policy bill that, if enacted, would require the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's follow-on modernization program to be classified as a major defense acquisition program and put a 2019 expiration date on the joint program office.

Senate mark calls for B-21 transparency, restricts RD-180 engines

Senate authorizers this week passed a defense policy bill that would require the Air Force to reveal classified cost information about the next-generation B-21 bomber, restrict the availability of Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines and mandate that the service conduct a competition to develop a replacement for its EC-130H Compass Call fleet.

Coverage of DOD's latest report on China:

Pentagon: China spending, restructuring and pushing for international influence

The Chinese military in 2015 continued to pour significant funding into defense modernization, but also sought to reform and restructure itself internally, while simultaneously looking to extend its influence in the Asia Pacific region, specifically the East and South China Seas, according to an annual report released by the Defense Department.

Document: Pentagon: China spending, restructuring and pushing for international influence

Investigators doing background checks for security clearances can now use social media information:

New directive authorizes use of social media in background investigations

A new directive made effective Thursday authorizes the collection and use of publicly available social media information as part of government security background investigations.

Document: DNI directive on using social media in background investigations