A two-year, bipartisan spending deal brokered in February has granted the Pentagon a period of fiscal stability, but that window is quickly closing as Congress eyes 2018 midterm elections and the return of mandatory budget caps. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee April 26 he cannot carry out the National Defense Strategy if lawmakers revert to familiar behavior and are unable to strike another deal that lifts mandatory caps on the Pentagon's fiscal year 2020 budget...
