Category: Department of Defense

Biden Criticizes Sen. Tuberville for Military Nominations Delay—GOP Senator Hits Back at President For Refusing to Talk

President Joe Biden ridiculed Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) on Thursday for slowing the process to handle military promotions and nominations, but the Alabama senator said the Democratic president has shown no effort to negotiate through their differences. In December, Mr. Tuberville announced he would stop the Senate from approving large batches of military nominations after…


Lawmakers Launch Bill to Prevent More ‘Accounting Errors’ at Pentagon After $6.2 Billion Flub

Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) have introduced legislation to prevent further accounting errors at the Department of Defense (DOD) after a “valuation error” came to light recently at the Pentagon amounting to over $6 billion. The draft bill (pdf) aims to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require the Pentagon…


US Marine Corps Lacks Senate-Confirmed Leader as Senator Stalls Nominations Over Pentagon Abortion Policy

The United States Marine Corps is without a senate-confirmed leader amid an impasse between the Department of Defense and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) over military policies on abortion. On Monday, Gen. David Berger relinquished his command as the commandant of the Marine Corps. Gen. Berger was replaced by Gen. Eric Smith, who is assuming the…


Warren Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns About Pentagon Division, Private Investment

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has raised questions about whether parts of the Department of Defense (DOD) could be “too cozy” with private investment firms. Ms. Warren, who serves as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, broached her concerns in a July 9 letter (pdf) to Heidi Shyu, under secretary of defense for research and…


Rep. Nancy Mace Wants to Know Why Pentagon Quietly Cancelled Contract to Develop New Travel System

House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wants to know why Department of Defense (DOD) officials suddenly and without public explanation cancelled its replacement for an old travel reservations system that generated nearly $1 billion in improper payments from 2016 to 2018. In a June 30 letter to Under-Secretary of Defense for…


Family of College Student Who Died From COVID-19 Vaccine Sues Biden Administration

The family of a college student who died from heart inflammation caused by Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has sued President Joe Biden’s administration, alleging officials engaged in “willful misconduct.” U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) officials wrongly promoted COVID-19 vaccination by repeatedly claiming the available vaccines were “safe and effective,” relatives of George Watts Jr., the college…


Bipartisan Senators Seek Pentagon Investigation Into Arms Makers Over Price Gouging Claims

Five U.S. senators, including two Democrats, two Republicans, and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, are seeking a Department of Defense (DoD) investigation into allegations of price gouging by U.S. arms manufacturers. A CBS News “60 Minutes” report this week claimed systemic price gouging practices were used by major arms manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and…


Pentagon Urges Congress to ‘Resolve’ Lone Senator’s Blanket Hold on Military Promotions

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin is urging the U.S. Senate to “resolve” a current impasse that’s put an indefinite hold on top military promotions and nominations. The Senate approves thousands of civilian and military nominations annually. The process is normally conducted through unanimous consent. But Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has blocked hundreds of promotions and nominations because he objects…


US Tracking Another Unidentified Balloon Spotted Off Hawaii Coast

The U.S. military is tracking another high-altitude balloon that crossed over the Hawaii coast and is now heading toward Mexico, the Department of Defense has confirmed. Using “newly-established parameters for monitoring U.S. airspace,” the Department of Defense first detected the balloon on April 28 off the coast of Hawaii floating at approximately 36,000 feet, a…


Biden Authorizes Southern Border Deployment of Reservist Troops

President Joe Biden authorized the deployment of reserve troops to the southern border to combat “international drug trafficking” under the National Emergencies Act in an executive order signed April 27. The executive order authorizes the secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to order to active duty reserve…