The Pentagon is evaluating its policies following the Supreme Court’s Friday decision striking down Roe v. Wade, which since 1973 had guaranteed a woman’s right to an abortion, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. The ruling is set to affect thousands of military personnel and their families who may be stationed or work in states where abortions will…
Author: Ellen Mitchell
House committee advances $840B defense bill to boost troop pay, offset inflation
The House Armed Services Committee in the early morning hours of Thursday voted to advance its $840 billion version of the annual defense policy bill, adding in more for extra ships, aircraft, Ukraine aid and to offset inflation. After a 16-hour markup session that stretched past 2 a.m., the committee approved its version of the National Defense Authorization…
Defense & National Security — House panel advances defense spending bill
The House Appropriations Committee held a markup of its defense spending plan, approving a $761 billion bill for fiscal year 2023. At the same time, the House Armed Services Committee is holding negotiations on the annual military authorization bill. We’ll share what’s in both bills, plus Ukraine’s latest pleas for more weapons from the West…
House committee votes to up Biden defense budget plan by $37B
The House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday voted to approve approximately $37 billion more in military spending than President Biden proposed. During a markup of the annual National Defense Authorization Act, the committee voted 42 to 17 to increase top-line spending from $802 billion to about $840 billion. The increase, which was opposed by…
Ukraine pleads for more weapons amid pressure to cede land for peace
Ukraine is pleading for heavier weapons and more ammunition as Russia has focused its efforts in the country’s eastern Donbas region, a fight taking place amid a brewing debate over whether Ukraine should cede some of the land in an effort for peace. Even with the Biden administration’s new commitment of $1 billion in lethal aid that…
Defense & National Security — Russian cyberwar campaign not ending soon
Russia’s war on Ukraine through the cyberspace alone has shown how the shadowy world of cyberattacks will be a central battleground in the future of global conflicts. We’ll detail Moscow’s online tactics and what this means for the war going forward, plus China’s latest missile interceptor test and Biden’s upcoming trip to Europe. This is…
Defense & National Security — Senators eye $45B defense budget boost
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to pass its version of the fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), proposing to boost defense spending by roughly $45 billion over what President Biden requested. We’ll have more details on the bill, plus the Senate’s recent vote on a bill to expand benefits for veterans suffering health…
Biden told Austin, Blinken to tone down remarks supporting Ukraine: report
President Biden told Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in April to tone down their rhetoric in supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, NBC News reported Thursday. The pushback reportedly came after the Pentagon chief said the Biden administration wanted Ukraine to win the war against the Kremlin and that the U.S. wanted a…
Defense & National Security — A ‘pivotal moment’ in Ukraine
The Biden administration announced another $1 billion in military assistance for Ukraine, help that comes as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said it was “a pivotal moment” in Kyiv’s fight with Russia. We’ll detail what’s in the latest package and the United States’ message for other Western nations, plus the new defense spending proposal from House Democrats and…
Austin warns of ‘pivotal moment’ in Ukraine war, urges allies to help
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday said Kyiv faces “a pivotal moment” in its fight with Russia, highlighting recent military aid sent to Ukraine by Western allies while pressing countries to send even more. Ukraine is currently struggling to keep Russia from laying claim on its easternmost region and industrial heartland, known as the Donbas,…