Congress
Other Transaction Authority awards have soared 712 percent since 2015, helping jumpstart R&D, including on COVID vaccines. But now the Space Force’s OTAs have been derailed by a court case against contractor NSTXL – and the whole OTA system is under fire.
By Theresa HitchensThe Trump administration waited four years to come up with a plan to increase the size of the fleet, dumping it on the Pentagon’s doorstep even as the moving vans were getting ready to pull up to the White House.
By Paul McLearyWith over two decades in the Pentagon under Clinton, Bush, and Obama, Kathleen Hicks brings the civilian bureaucratic experience that retired Gen. Lloyd Austin sorely lacks. Neither has the political clout of a Jim Mattis or a Bob Gates.
By Colin Clark“On the eve of Christmas Eve, this veto seems to be Trump’s parting gift to Putin and a lump of coal for our troops,” Sen. Jack Reed says.
By Colin ClarkThe most overlooked story of 2020, including by this publication, is that having a president largely divorced from making military decisions worked pretty well for the US military.
By Colin ClarkThe massive hack of federal and private networks isn’t an act of war by any definition, experts agree. It’s a staggering intelligence disaster. So how do we prevent it happening again?
By Theresa HitchensWith a presidential veto hanging in the air, Congress charges ahead on huge federal spending votes.
By Paul McLeary“The highways of the Arctic are paved by icebreakers,” said Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, who helped shepherd the provisions through to the final bill which sits on the president’s desk, awaiting his promised veto
By Paul McLeary“It’s been a moral hazard to fail to implement CAATSA over the last 18 months, but better late than never,” said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
By Paul McLearyFor decades, China has deployed its fishing fleet – the largest in the world – as a maritime militia, systematically asserting and expanding Beijing’s influence throughout the Indo-Pacific. The fleet routinely operates in areas where there is little to no enforcement and willfully engages in aggressive, predatory practices to intimidate lawful local fishermen, undermine maritime…
By Ben BordelonThe release of the Trump plans will undoubtedly complicate life for the Biden team, which will now be forced to wrestle publicly with both the increases and the cuts.
By Paul McLeary
This is the last opinion piece Mac Thornberry will write as a member of the House of Representatives (at least, that’s what his staff told us!). I’m personally honored he chose us because Rep. Thornberry is one of the relatively few defense lawmakers I have truly respected for his knowledge, his commitment to quality legislation…
By Rep. Mac Thornberry