Senate takes next steps toward confirming key Pentagon officials
Lawmakers voted en bloc, setting up a next round of votes to confirm a new Pentagon comptroller, along with other influential positions.
Senate Democrats block NDAA amid concerns on Iran War, budget topline
SASC Ranking Member Jack Reed, D-R.I., told Breaking Defense settling the budget would be the most "practical step" and that lawmakers could "revive" the legislation quickly if "stars align."
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The reasons why Group 2 drones are right-sized for the fight
Fuel cell technology lets smaller, more versatile VTOLs handle tasks previously reserved for larger drones.
Reed: Congress ‘would have to’ codify Trump’s defense industry stock buyback mandates
The top SASC Democrat stopped short of supporting Trump's executive order, as a few defense firms said they're on board, at least publicly.
Could DoD buck ‘congressional intent’ on billions in reconciliation?
Unlike a traditional budget, military funds from the One Big Beautiful Bill come with fewer legal strings attached for how the money is spent, prompting lawmakers to collect public pledges.
House narrowly passes reconciliation bill with $150B for defense
Funding contained in the bill is required for the Trump administration to hit $1 trillion in defense spending in fiscal 2026.
Top SASC Dem skeptical that Air Force fields F-47 in ‘two or three years’
“I would be very pleased but very surprised that they could deliver within two or three years,” said Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
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Addressing the ‘four tyrannies’ of the Pacific to keep logistics flowing
Predictive artificial intelligence and autonomy will reshape how forces are sustained across the Pacific.
Who’s Who in Defense: Jack Reed, Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)
Signalling the political shift in Congressional leadership, Jack Reed, the Democratic senator from Rhode Island who led the committee under the prior administration, is now the Ranking Member of SASC (119th Congress), with Sen Roger Wicker (R-MS), presiding as Chair.
Nominee for top DoD policy job sidesteps questions on Russian invasion of Ukraine
“I stand by my record, but at this point, I think there's a very delicate diplomatic process going on where the President is rightfully trying to resuscitate the peace process,” said Elbridge Colby, the nominee for the Pentagon's undersecretary of policy.
Trump nominee Pete Hegseth confirmed as defense secretary
A tiebreaking vote by Vice President JD Vance was needed after Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell joined Democrats to vote against Hegseth.
EXCLUSIVE: 2 key senators urge Navy to change course on large USV program
Lawmakers have been skeptical of the Navy's unmanned programs since 2019, but seem to be warming up to some more than others.
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Biodefense is force protection: Ready today, prepared for tomorrow
A decorated combat aviator and biotech CEO advocates preparing for novel viral threats before the next crisis.
Analysts warn House’s 100% ship design policy goes a step too far
The policy, spearheaded by the House, will require agreement from the Senate before it stands a chance at becoming law.
Pentagon operations ‘potentially jeopardized’ without $105B supplemental: SASC chair
Sen. Jack Reed told reporters that should the bill fail, he would look to busting the price cap on next year's defense authorization legislation.
‘What goes around comes around’: Reed warns GOP on military holds long-term impact
“[It could become] a real waste of time and resource if every nominee for any political position is held up, but made all the more nonsensical in that uniformed service members do not set policy,” said CNAS senior fellow Katherine Kuzminski.
HASC members push back at Sen. Reed AUKUS criticisms: ‘Far from a zero-sum game’
Key members of the House Armed Services Committee pushed back at the idea that AUKUS could be a "zero sum game" for nuclear submarines.