Thornberry: US Military Should Not Be Treated Like Political Pawns

The chairman of the House Armed Services committee on Monday criticized the short-term fix agreed on to end the government shutdown, saying the stopgap spending measures were damaging the military's readiness. "For several months we've had some folks on Capitol Hill who have been willing to hold military funding hostage to some other issue, whether it was increasing funding on a domestic issue or in this case some sort of immigration issue," Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, told Fox News' Harris Faulkner.

No deal reached, as moderates search for shutdown solution

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., arrives for a meeting of fellow Republicans on the first morning of a government shutdown after a divided Senate rejected a funding measure, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018. The U.S. government shut down at midnight after Congress failed to resolve a partisan standoff over immigration and spending.

Democrats, GOP exchange charges of blame for shutdown

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan says the partial government shutdown is "inflicting needless uncertainty on our country" and he is blaming it all on Senate Democrats. WASHINGTON - Feuding Democrats and Republicans in Congress are trying to dodge blame for a paralyzing standoff over immigration and showing few signs of progress on negotiations needed to end a government shutdown.

Hawaii’s False Alarm Exposes U.S. Civil Defense Gaps

Three days after Hawaii's false ballistic-missile alert triggered panic across the islands, causing people to run for cover and family members to issue tearful goodbyes, the Japanese public broadcaster NHK texted out a news alert instructing citizens to seek shelter from an incoming North Korean attack. It too was false.

How they voted: Larimer County area congressional votes for Nov. 10-16, 2017

Along with roll call votes this week, the Senate also passed the FEMA Accountability, Modernization and Transparency Act , to ensure that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's current efforts to modernize its grant management system includes applicant accessibility and transparency; the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act , to provide ... (more)

Pentagon has known of crime reporting lapses for 20 years

The Pentagon has known for at least two decades about failures to give military criminal history information to the FBI, including the type of information the Air Force didn't report about the Texas church gunman who had assaulted his wife and stepson while an airman. The Air Force lapse in the Devin P. Kelley case, which is now under review by the Pentagon's inspector general, made it possible for him to buy guns before his attack Sunday at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

Texas gunman escaped mental hospital: police

The man who carried out one of the deadliest US mass shootings escaped from a mental health facility in 2012, the same year he was convicted by a US Air Force court-martial of domestic abuse, according to a police report. Devin Kelley, who massacred 26 people at a church in rural southeastern Texas on Sunday, was convicted of assaulting his first wife and stepson while serving in the US Air Force in 2012, according to the Pentagon.

Chicken Littles Insist U.S. Military Is Too Old, Too Small

The report claims that the U.S. military is "too small" and "too old." Moreover, "the readiness that we have seen over the several years has been in dramatic decline, given the sorts of things we want the military to accomplish around the world."

Lawmaker says Congress is partly to blame for rash of deadly military accidents

Congress is partly responsible for a string of military training accidents that killed two and injured more than 20 troops over the past week, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Friday. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, has blamed spending caps and delayed defense budgets, as well as the newest continuing budget resolution approved this month, for putting military service members at greater risk and said the new incidents at Fort Hood, Texas, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Fort Bragg, N.C., are the latest evidence.

Sentiment in US Congress tending away from ‘two-state solution’

The Jerusalem Post today reports a growing tendency among key United States congressman to look beyond the accustomed two-state solution for a Middle East peace model. The US-Israel Education Association , a pro-Israel Christian organization that among other activities sponsors tours of US Congressman to Israel, completed Saturday night a week-long fact-finding mission that included five Congressmen and one Senator.

Little Known Bill on ELDs Quietly Gaining Supporters in US House

A U.S. House of Representatives bill that would delay the December mandate for electronic logging devices is quietly gaining co-sponsors despite lacking support from congressional Republican leaders, a committee of jurisdiction and most of the trucking industry. As carriers continue to ensure their vehicles are equipped with ELDs by Dec. 18, legislation offered by Rep. Brian Babin in July has garnered six co-sponsors this month.

Why ban transgender troops? Only Trump knows

President Donald Trump took to Twitter this week to a declare that transgender men and women would henceforth be banned from military service . Indeed, top Department of Defense officials quickly reassured the public that there will be "no modifications" to the military's transgender policy as a result of the tweet, and the military will continue to "treat all of our personnel with respect."

Editorial Roundup: Bloomberg View – Closing bases would strengthen U.S. military

The House is working on the military budget for 2018, and the Pentagon is not pleased. Not only does the plan fall short of the "historic" boost in spending promised by President Donald Trump, but the proposal doesn't even include one of the military's own suggestions for saving money.

Panels demand billions more for defense than Trump requested

Two House Democrats want to compel the Air Force to detail how much has been spent on trips that President Donald Tr... Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he's asked the new leader of New York City's troubled public transit system to do a series of urgent reviews of the agency's management and aging infrastructure. The endangered killer whales that frequent the inland waters of Washington state are having pregnancy problems because they can't find enough to eat.

Congress seizes lead on Trump’s promise to rebuild military

President Donald Trump made rebuilding the U.S. armed forces a signature promise during the presidential campaign, but it's the GOP-controlled Congress that's leading the way by adding tens of billions of dollars to the annual defense policy bill to pay for active-duty troops, combat aircraft and ships that he didn't request. The House Armed Services Committee approved its version of a $696 billion bill for 2018 just before midnight Wednesday by a 60-1 vote.

House Republicans put final touches on budget deal

House Republicans are putting the final touches on a bold budget proposal they will roll out later this week that would boost military spending beyond what President Donald Trump wants and slash billions from welfare and other entitlement programs. Threading the needle of getting defense hawks, fiscal conservatives and those steering tax reform within his own party has been a difficult task, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has reminded House GOP members that this year's budget is critical for getting top priorities like tax reform through both chambers.

House GOP puts final touches on budget deal

House Republicans are putting the final touches on a budget proposal they will roll out later this week that would boost military spending beyond what President Donald Trump wants and slash billions from welfare and other entitlement programs. Threading the needle of getting defense hawks, fiscal conservatives and those steering tax reform within his own party has been a difficult task, but House Speaker Paul Ryan has reminded House GOP members that this year's budget is critical for getting top priorities like tax reform through both chambers.

Dems look to defense bill to put pressure on Trump

Democrats are pushing to make the annual defense policy bill a referendum on President Trump, with plans to introduce a series of amendments as the legislation makes its way through committee. Rep. Jim Langevin will take the lead on introducing an amendment on climate change in an effort to throw Defense Secretary James Mattis's words back at the administration.

Defense chief ‘shocked’ by poor state of US combat readiness

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis declared Monday that he was "shocked" upon his return to the Pentagon by the poor state of the U.S. military's readiness for combat. He put most of the blame on Congress for its inability to approve budgets on time or repeal a law that strictly limits defense spending.