Pentagon and Congress

Pentagon worries repealing COVID vaccine mandate will affect readiness

Democratic House leaders now support the change, which has been a priority for congressional Republicans for months.

8 hours ago

Military COVID-19 vaccine mandate repealed in defense bill compromise

The $858 billion measure also includes a 4.6% pay raise for troops next year and plans to backfill munition stockpiles depleted by the war in Ukraine.

28 hours ago

Pentagon & Congress

Senator vows hold on military nominees over Pentagon abortion policy

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is upset over the military's new abortion access policy, announced just before the midterm elections.

This week in Congress: Final NDAA compromise expected to be unveiled

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Dec. 5, 2022.

3 days ago

Army plans ‘dramatic’ ammo production boost as Ukraine drains stocks

But its plan for a ramp up in production hinges on Congress.

3 days ago

Fake parts: A Pentagon supply chain problem hiding in plain sight

The Defense Department is developing new tests to find counterfeit parts, putting a renewed emphasis on reporting when problematic components are found.

3 days ago

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon, Nov. 3, 2022, in Washington.

Pentagon chief: US faces pivotal years in countering China

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum capped a week where the Pentagon was squarely focused on China’s rise.

4 days ago

A health care worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Oct. 5, 2021, in Miami. (Lynne Sladky/AP)

Keep COVID-19 military vaccine mandate, defense secretary says

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is making clear he wants to keep the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops.

4 days ago

Austin urges Congress: Pass a timely budget

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted investments in military hardware, in research and in the Pacific region, adding “we’ve got more to do.”

4 days ago

Dutch defense chief talks Ukraine help and stocking ammo for NATO

Gen. Onno Eichelsheim explains how he deals with a limited personnel pool, and which country might want to look closely at the Dutch Walrus submarine buy.

5 days ago

Congress wants to arm Taiwan, but hasn’t figured out how to pay for it

Congress is poised to take up a massive policy that will include Taiwan security aid provisions, but the appropriations is an open question.

6 days ago

GOP senators threaten to block NDAA over COVID-19 vaccine mandate

They want troops dismissed for refusing the vaccine to get their jobs back and be awarded back pay.

7 days ago

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.

9 days 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.

2 weeks ago

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.

2 weeks ago

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.

2 weeks 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.

2 weeks 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%.

2 weeks 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.

3 weeks 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.

3 weeks ago

Pentagon & Congress

The latest military news from the Pentagon and Congress.

Democratic House leaders now support the change, which has been a priority for congressional Republicans for months.

The $858 billion measure also includes a 4.6% pay raise for troops next year and plans to backfill munition stockpiles depleted by the war in Ukraine.

Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville is upset over the military's new abortion access policy, announced just before the midterm elections.

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Dec. 5, 2022.

But its plan for a ramp up in production hinges on Congress.

The Defense Department is developing new tests to find counterfeit parts, putting a renewed emphasis on reporting when problematic components are found.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum capped a week where the Pentagon was squarely focused on China’s rise.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is making clear he wants to keep the military’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place to protect the health of the troops.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted investments in military hardware, in research and in the Pacific region, adding “we’ve got more to do.”

Gen. Onno Eichelsheim explains how he deals with a limited personnel pool, and which country might want to look closely at the Dutch Walrus submarine buy.

Congress is poised to take up a massive policy that will include Taiwan security aid provisions, but the appropriations is an open question.

They want troops dismissed for refusing the vaccine to get their jobs back and be awarded back pay.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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