The INSIDER daily digest -- Feb. 25, 2019

This Monday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Trump administration's plans to substantially increase Overseas Contingency Operations funding.

The Trump administration will be asking for a much bigger OCO spending request, despite reservations from conservative congressional budget hawks as well as outright opposition from Democrats:

Trump administration confirms plans for inflated OCO request

For the first time publicly, the Trump administration is confirming its plans to request from Congress a massive increase in Overseas Contingency Operations funds, a strategy to beat mandatory budget caps that has shocked lawmakers and analysts.

Related from Friday, in case you missed it:

DOD could be poised to reprogram billions for border wall without congressional approval

Pentagon officials' evasive posture on whether they will seek congressional approval before reprogramming $2.5 billion toward construction of a wall on the southwestern border is creating concern on Capitol Hill, where some worry that a “gentleman's agreement” governing the budget process is about to be broken.

Trump's plan to reprogram $2.5B for wall is unlikely to get by Congress

Part of President Trump's plan to use Defense Department funds to construct a wall on the southwestern border is likely to require congressional approval, meaning Democrats would have the power to block it at the committee level.

The Pentagon's top weapons tester has a dim view of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program:

JLTV fleet not operationally suitable, TOW-missile launcher variant not operationally effective

The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, a $28 billion program to replace about half of the Army's aging humvee fleet, is not operationally suitable on account of deficiencies in reliability, maintainability, crew situational awareness and safety, according to the Pentagon's top weapons tester.

Document: Pentagon's 2018 DOT&E report