Pentagon & Congress

The latest military news from the Pentagon and Congress.

SecDef tells Congress to get a military budget done already

Lloyd Austin said another short-term budget extension will cause a host of problems for his department.

29 minutes ago

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III meets with General Wei Fenghe, Minister of National Defense of the People's Republic of China (PRC), on the margins of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Nov. 22, 2022.

US and Chinese defense chiefs meet in Cambodia

It was the second face-to-face meeting between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe in six months.

6 days ago

Veterans

VA stands by abortion policy after legal threats from state leaders

Republican state attorneys general vow to take the department to court over its decision to provide abortion access.

Weapons shortages spark tough choices for Ukraine’s allies

Arms shortages among Ukraine’s allies are forcing difficult conversations about how to balance support concerns Russia may target them next.

7 days ago

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, right, meets with Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin meets with Indonesian defense minister

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his Indonesian counterpart to push stronger defense ties amid growing Chinese naval activity in the Indo-Pacific.

7 days ago

Lawmakers press DOD to restore troops’ full housing stipend

The group wants military leaders to resume paying 100% of the housing allowance formula, instead of the current 95%.

7 days ago

Ammunition boxes lay outside a destroyed school on the outskirts of a recently liberated village outskirts of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022.

‘Tyranny and turmoil’ in Russian invasion, US defense secretary says

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion the worst crisis in security since the end of the Second World War.

8 days ago

VA suicide prevention efforts need more focus on gun safety training

The VA Inspector General found problems with gun safety training completion and follow-through.

11 days ago

U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., participates in a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 19, 2020.

Former Navy pilot’s win cements Republican control of US House

U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot, has been reelected in California in a victory that hands Republicans control of the House.

11 days ago

Lawmaker pushes plan to cap attorney fees for Camp Lejeune lawsuits

VA officials and veterans advocates have warned that many veterans may be taken advantage of by lawyers filing suits related to water contamination there.

11 days ago

McCarthy threatens to hold up key defense bill until next year

McCarthy's threat comes as Republicans and Democrats are negotiating a final, bicameral version of the bill with the aim of passing it in December.

12 days ago

Pentagon says Poland blast likely caused by Ukrainian missile

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin became the latest U.S. official to back Poland’s preliminary conclusion.

12 days ago