The INSIDER daily digest -- August 1, 2025

The bulk of this Friday INSIDER Daily Digest revolves around the Senate fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill and accompanying report.

Before we get to the bill, though, some DOT&E news:

Nominee to head DOT&E waves off lawmaker concerns about cuts to office

Lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee questioned the nominee picked to lead the Pentagon's independent weapons testing office today on how the fallout from planned personnel cuts could impact her ability to do the job.

Document: Henninger, Powers, Denton, Kohlmann nominations testimony

More news on the Army's transformation initiative:

Army and Congress at odds on OIB construction costs

The Army is still mostly mum on its supposed plan to close certain depots and arsenals three months after announcing the Army Transformation Initiative, and while it has leaned on the premise that it's far pricier to build in the organic industrial base than to harness commercial partnerships, the only figure that's been cited in congressional testimony to illustrate that point is a misleading one.

Moving on to the spending bill, senators want the Marine Corps to send in a revised plan for how the service will procure Joint Light Tactical Vehicles:

Appropriators want a reworked JLTV plan from Marine Corps

Senate appropriators want the Marine Corps commandant to retool the service's acquisition strategy for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program after the Army cancelled the vehicle in May without giving the Marines a heads up.

More appropriations news:

Senate appropriators reprimand Army for being hush-hush on transformation initiative details

The Senate Appropriations Committee, in its fiscal year 2026 defense spending bill, has used forceful language in demanding the Army provide greater detail on its multifaceted transformation initiative, requiring the secretary and chief of staff to provide quarterly briefings to the congressional defense committees.

Senate appropriators add $780M to alleviate F-35 pressure points

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter would get a $780 million sustainment boost across several funding lines in the Senate Appropriations Committee's version of next year's spending bill as lawmakers continue to cite the program's ongoing developmental challenges.

Senate appropriators whack Trump administration for $10B procurement shortfall

The Senate Appropriations Committee today said the Trump administration's historically late budget -- and its bifurcated fiscal year 2026 request -- contributed to a $10 billion disconnect in funding for priority procurements that were left out of the White House's budget submission and not accounted for in the recently passed reconciliation bill.

DOD plans to cancel E-7A Wedgetail appear dead

The Defense Department's attempt to cancel the E-7A Wedgetail program is all but dead as all four defense committees in Congress have put funding for the effort into their fiscal year 2026 bills.

Senate spending bill adds $1.4B for F/A-XX, drawing line between appropriators and Pentagon

The Senate Appropriations Committee's draft fiscal year 2026 spending bill looks to fund the Navy's F/A-XX sixth-generation aircraft to the tune of $1.4 billion, teeing up a fight between congressional appropriators and the White House over the future of the program.