The U.S. Senate sent the president a $2.7 trillion budget plan with roughly $45 billion more in military funding over two years, despite complaints from fiscal conservatives the measure would raise the federal deficit.
Lead Democrats have proposed a bill to raise statutory budget caps for two years, with $733 billion for defense in FY20 — but it’s likely to spark a fight with the White House.
Cruiser and destroyer reforms in the West Pacific are encouraging, but sailors report being overworked, a federal watchdog warned Congress on Wednesday.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warns lawmakers the strategy is “not sustainable” under budget caps due to return in 2020 and 2021, unless Congress arrives at a way to ease or eliminate them.
In his first State of the Union address, Trump also announced plans to keep the detention facilities at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay open to house enemy combatants.
In a military policy speech, the House speaker chastised Democrats for failing to help boost defense spending and return to the regular budget process.