Throwback Thursday: McCain and Thornberry

Welcome to Throwback Thursday, Inside Defense's occasional look back at what was happening on or around this day in years past.

Nearly a year ago, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) said during an appearance at the Heritage Foundation that he hoped to convince his House counterpart Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) to support his acquisition reform proposals in the fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill.

The two found some common ground in the FY-16 National Defense Authorization Act, but McCain faces a similar task this year. He and his committee have put forth an FY-17 defense authorization bill that is far more prescriptive in terms of proposed reforms.

Last year, McCain's committee sought to blunt the influence of the Defense Department's under secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics and drive more acquisition decision authority to the military services. This year, McCain's committee has proposed eliminating the AT&L position entirely.

Thornberry said today at the Heritage Foundation that the committees would take things one provision at a time as they head into summer conference sessions in the hope of having a final bill by September.

Thornberry added that he is open to discussing the elimination of AT&L with McCain.

"On the AT&L, there is a strong sentiment, both sides of the Capitol, both sides of the aisle, that our processes and bureaucracy are not adequate for the world in which we live," Thornberry said.