SASC

Milley Details Vision as Next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Senate Panel

The 2019 Army Birthday Ball takes place in honor of the 244 Army Birthday at the Hilton in Washington, D.C., June 15, 2019. US Army Photo

For Army Gen. Mark Milley, nominee to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, upgrading and maintaining the nation’s nuclear triad ranks top of his priority list.

Milley, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, laid out his priorities and his vision for the military during the next four years if he’s confirmed to become...

https://news.usni.org/2019/07/11/milley-details-vision-as-next-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-to-senate-panel

SOUTHCOM CO: China’s Influence Growing in Western Hemisphere  

Adm. Craig Faller, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, arrives to Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras on June 20, 2019. US Marine Corps Photo

China’s soft power moves in the Western Hemisphere – from building ports to sharing information on space and offering wireless 5G technologies – “have hard aims” with military implications that are drawing increased attention in Washington, the admiral in charge of U.S. Southern Command told a Senate panel on Tuesday.

Referring to a military-run facility...

https://news.usni.org/2019/07/10/southcom-co-chinas-influence-growing-in-western-hemisphere

House, Senate Defense Bills Tough on Littoral Combat Ship Programs

Freedom-class LCS St. Louis (LCS-19), left, in Marinette, Wisc., on Dec. 15, 2018, as Billings (LCS-15) is under construction and preparing for commissioning. US Navy Photo

The Navy is ready to sunset littoral combat ship production and three of four congressional defense committees appear happy to oblige through restrictive policies and funding authorizations.

Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) members included language prohibiting the use of funds to extend the LCS program except in a...

https://news.usni.org/2019/06/13/house-senate-defense-bills-tough-on-littoral-combat-ship-programs

Pacific Commander Davidson Asks Congress to Fund ‘Regain the Advantage’ Plan Aimed at China

Adm. Phil Davidson participates in an honors ceremony at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in New Zealand in 2018. US Navy Photo

The head of U.S. forces in the Pacific has asked Congress to support several new initiatives to increase American military power in the region beyond what has been set aside in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget request, according to a March 22 letter obtained by USNI News.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command commander Adm. Phil Davidson asked for support for new capabilities that...

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/18/pacific-commander-davidson-asks-congress-to-fund-regain-the-advantage-plan-aimed-at-china

AFRICOM Nominee: Russia, China Making Major Strategic Inroads in Africa

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of the Army Training and Doctrine Command, unveils a plan to modernize recruiting during a press conference Oct. 9, 2018. US Army Photo

As Russia and China are increasing their economic and political influence on Africa’s economic and political development the expense of United States interests, the general tapped to head African Command told senators Tuesday.

Violent terrorists are the most substantial immediate threat, but Army Gen. Stephen Townsend said,...

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/02/africom-nominee-russia-china-making-major-strategic-inroads-africa

FY 2020 U.S. Navy 30-Year Shipbuilding Plan

The following is the Fiscal Year 2019 U.S. Navy 30-year shipbuilding plan, released by the service on March 21, 2019.

From the report

I. Reporting Requirement
This report is submitted per Section 231 of Title 10, United States Code. Appendices 1-8
provide supporting details. Appendix 8 is controlled under limited distribution.

II. Submission of the Report
This report is the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) 30-year shipbuilding plan for FY2020-FY2049. The FY2020 President’s Budget (PB2020) provides...

https://news.usni.org/2019/03/21/fy-2020-u-s-navy-30-year-shipbuilding-plan

Senate Panel Pushes Navy, Marine Corps to Fix Base Housing Problems

Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Adm. Robert P. Burke testifies with his service counterparts about Military Personnel Policies and Military Family Readiness during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel on Feb 27, 2019. US Navy Photo

The chairman of a Senate panel overseeing military personnel pushed the Navy and Marines to fix ongoing military housing problems that include black mold and sewage backing up into base housing.

“This is not a witch hunt,” but “we know...

https://news.usni.org/2019/03/04/senate-panel-pushes-navy-marine-corps-fix-base-housing-problems

Navy Stopped Publicly Announcing Flag Officer Nominations, Citing Policy Review

Navy Flag officers salute the color guard during the playing of the national anthem at the beginning of the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) decommissioning ceremony in 2007. US Navy Photo

The Pentagon in Fiscal Year 2019 has announced the nomination of a combined 256 general officers for the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps – and one Navy admiral.

While the other services have steadily publicly published their nominees for general officers since the start of the fiscal year, Chief of Naval Personnel...

https://news.usni.org/2019/02/25/navy-stops-announcing-flag-officer-nominations

Davidson Defends Surface Navy Readiness in Letter to Angus King

Adm. Phil Davidson participates in an honors ceremony at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in New Zealand in August 2018. US Navy Photo

The head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is defending the Navy’s effort to reform its surface fleet after a tense exchange with a senator in a posture hearing earlier this month.

In a Feb. 21 letter to Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), Adm. Phil Davidson gave a generally positive review to ongoing efforts to make the surface navy safer after two fatal collisions in...

https://news.usni.org/2019/02/25/davidson-defends-surface-navy-readiness-letter-angus-king

Document: A Brief Summary of Defense Authorization, Appropriations Bills Since 1961

The following is the Congressional Research Service report, Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1961-FY2019.

From the Report

The passage of the Department of Defense (DOD) authorization and appropriations bills through Congress often does not follow the course laid out in textbooks on legislative procedure. Tracking DOD authorization or appropriation bills can be confusing and time-consuming. This has been particularly true in recent years, when continuing resolutions (CRs)...

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/21/document-brief-summary-defense-authorization-appropriations-bills-since-1961

+ More