Pentagon and Congress

First look — White House says GOP budget plan would harm defense

Administration officials are accusing far-right Republicans of undermining national security with their fiscal goals.

4 hours ago

VA leaders aren’t worried about looming budget fights ... yet

Lawmakers are skeptical of the White House's plan for $325 billion in department funding next year.

14 hours ago

Pay & Benefits

Boosting enlisted pay to boost recruiting? Nope.

Defense officials say they will look into the idea of targeted pay raises in future department studies.

VA change will lower home loan rates for some Native American vets

Changes to the VA Native American Direct Loan program would drop interest rates from 6% to 2.5% for some home purchases.

2 days ago

Transgender troops warn GOP bill could upend lives, weaken military

Senior military leaders to face questioning on transgender, diversity issues.

2 days ago

Dept. of Veterans Affairs, union spar over staffing

VA officials said hiring and retention levels are at record highs, but workers groups say even more staff is needed to keep up.

3 days ago

US to fast-track Abrams tanks for Ukraine by choosing older version

The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model.

3 days ago

Republican budget plan will ‘undermine’ US security, warns Biden admin

The Biden administration is portraying plans from Republicans to gut the federal budget as jeopardizing national security.

4 days ago

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022.

US sending ammunition, tanker trucks, boats to Ukraine

Latest package includes large amounts of ammunition, such as rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, fuel tanker trucks and riverine boats.

4 days ago

This week in Congress: SecDef defends the White House budget

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of March 20, 2023.

7 days ago

An assault amphibious vehicle assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit enters the well deck of the amphibious assault ship Wasp on Jan. 14, 2019.

Greece buying vehicles US Marine Corps beached after fatal sinking

The U.S. government has approved the sale of dozens of Assault Amphibious Vehicles to Greece.

7 days ago

Marines refuel an MV-22B Osprey at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, after completing an exercise flight, Jan. 28, 2021.

Pentagon to phase out firefighting foam with ‘forever chemicals’

The EPA on March 14 proposed new standards for six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” in drinking water.

8 days ago

Demand exploding for Tomahawk missiles as US backs latest foreign sale

Australia plans to buy the latest version of America’s long-range Tomahawk land attack missile.

8 days ago

Pentagon accelerator cell to expand weapons production

The Joint Production Accelerator Cell would expand the role of officials who helped ramp up production of aid sent to Ukraine.

8 days ago

VA to change its motto, dropping male-only language

The new statement will note VA's goal is "to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.”

8 days ago

VA plans to deploy new health records to more sites in June

The program has been delayed since last fall because of problems with software reliability and staff training.

9 days ago

Pentagon takes budget cuts ‘seriously’ ahead of congressional battles

Defense Secretary Austin is responding to a Democratic query that details the impact of proposed GOP budget on the Pentagon.

9 days ago

GOP senator blocks Biden nominee to force answers from VA

Sen. Chuck Grassley said he is upset with both VA leadership and the nominee to oversee department benefits operations.

9 days ago

A U.S. MQ-9 drone is on display during an air show at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018.

US, Russia ratchet up their rhetoric over downing of drone

The Kremlin said Moscow would try to recover the wreckage of the drone from the Black Sea.

9 days ago

VA aims to help 38,000+ homeless veterans again this year

The department is repeating its goal from last year in 2023, with some additional benchmarks for outreach.

9 days ago

Pentagon & Congress

The latest military news from the Pentagon and Congress.

Administration officials are accusing far-right Republicans of undermining national security with their fiscal goals.

Lawmakers are skeptical of the White House's plan for $325 billion in department funding next year.

Defense officials say they will look into the idea of targeted pay raises in future department studies.

Changes to the VA Native American Direct Loan program would drop interest rates from 6% to 2.5% for some home purchases.

Senior military leaders to face questioning on transgender, diversity issues.

VA officials said hiring and retention levels are at record highs, but workers groups say even more staff is needed to keep up.

The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model.

The Biden administration is portraying plans from Republicans to gut the federal budget as jeopardizing national security.

Latest package includes large amounts of ammunition, such as rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, fuel tanker trucks and riverine boats.

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of March 20, 2023.

The U.S. government has approved the sale of dozens of Assault Amphibious Vehicles to Greece.

The EPA on March 14 proposed new standards for six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” in drinking water.

Australia plans to buy the latest version of America’s long-range Tomahawk land attack missile.

The Joint Production Accelerator Cell would expand the role of officials who helped ramp up production of aid sent to Ukraine.

The new statement will note VA's goal is "to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors.”

The program has been delayed since last fall because of problems with software reliability and staff training.

Defense Secretary Austin is responding to a Democratic query that details the impact of proposed GOP budget on the Pentagon.

Sen. Chuck Grassley said he is upset with both VA leadership and the nominee to oversee department benefits operations.

The Kremlin said Moscow would try to recover the wreckage of the drone from the Black Sea.

The department is repeating its goal from last year in 2023, with some additional benchmarks for outreach.