TPMDC Pentagon budget
Chris Van Hollen
Democrats Rumble With GOP In Defense-Heavy Districts Over Automatic Pentagon Cuts
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
A months-long fight in Congress over how to avoid automatic, across-the-board cuts to defense programs set to kick in next year is increasingly bleeding in to battleground districts home to significant numbers of military service members and contractors.
With the Jan. 1 deadline nearing, and the parties still at loggerheads over how to order national priorities within the budget, Republicans and Democrats are scrambling to avoid blame for the pending cuts, eager to finger members of the other party.
The GOP approach, which passed the House Thursday, would override the defense cuts with billions of dollars in cuts to food stamps and other social programs for the poor. A Democratic alternative would replace the automatic cuts with a mix of cuts to corporate subsidies and higher taxes on the wealthy, but the GOP denied that bill a vote on the House floor.
In the aftermath, a top Armed Services Committee Republican -- Rep. Randy Forbes -- is prepared to host a series of town hall meetings in defense-heavy Virginia to place the onus for replacing the cuts on Democrats. And a leading Maryland Democrat is hoping to spoil Forbes's effort to win the headline war.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Budget, Chris Van Hollen, Defense Spending, Military, Military Spending, Pentagon budget
Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan Questions Catholic Bishops' Opposition To His Budget
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) dismissed the concerns of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, after the powerful advocacy group criticized his budget for "failing to meet [the] moral criteria," of protecting human dignity, prioritizing the needs of the hungry and homeless and promoting the common good. He also suggested that the criticism itself might not represent the Bishops' consensus view -- an insinuation the group directly rejects.
"These are not all the Catholic bishops, and we respectfully disagree," Ryan said.
Here's video, courtesy of Faith in Public Life:
Topics: Budget, Catholic Bishops, GOP Budget, Paul Ryan, Pentagon budget
Defense Spending
Top Defense Dem: GOP Must Blink First To Avoid Pentagon Cuts
Despite a brewing panic among Congressional Republicans (and some Democrats) over automatic, across-the-board defense cuts set to kick in on January 1, 2013, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee says those cuts must stand unless and until Republicans relent on their anti-tax absolutism, and agree on a balanced deficit reduction package that includes higher revenue.
"The purpose of the sequester is to force us to act to avoid the sequester," Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor roundtable. "It's like a nuclear weapon -- it's totally useless; it can't be used except to accomplish some other goal than its use. It's used to deter."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Carl Levin, Debt, Debt Ceiling, Defense Spending, Deficit, Medicare, Pentagon budget, Senate Armed Services Committee, Super Committee, Tax Cuts, Taxes, pentagon
Barack Obama
Defense Secretary Panetta: Defense Cuts Come With 'Additional But Acceptable Risk'
President Barack Obama at the Pentagon on Thursday said that even though the Defense Department's budget will shrink, the U.S. military will remain a strong force.
The first U.S. president to deliver a briefing at the Pentagon, Obama said, "Yes, our military will be leaner, but the world must know, the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with Armed Forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, Leon Panetta, Pentagon budget, pentagon
Defense Spending
Panetta Confirms Pentagon Considering Replacing Military Retirement With 401(k) Plan
Leon Panetta
In a rare joint appearance with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the National Defense University Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta confirmed a CBS News report that the Pentagon is considering a dramatic plan to overhaul the military's once sacrosanct retirement plan.
According to CBS, the plan "would eliminate the familiar system under which anyone who serves 20 years is eligible for retirement at half their salary. Instead, they'd get a 401k-style plan with government contributions."
Panetta largely confirmed the report, with a key caveat.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Defense Spending, Leon Panetta, Military, Pentagon budget, pentagon
Leon Panetta
Panetta Under Pressure To Slash Defense Spending
CIA Director Leon Panetta
This 4th of July Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who just took over at the Pentagon on Friday, has a lot more on his mind than patriotism and fireworks.
Panetta is already being forced to walk a fine line between those in his party looking for even bigger defense cuts than his predecessor Roberts Gates recommended and critics who worry that too much streamlining will produce a hollow force.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Defense Spending, Dennis Moore, Department of Defense, Don Rumsfeld, House Republicans, Leon Panetta, Pentagon budget, Robert Gates, pentagon
Allen West
Allen West: Military Needs More Money For Toilet Paper But It Doesn't Need More Gays
Rep. Allen West (R-FL)
At a time when politicians are looking to cut back the federal budget, the United States needs to expand the military's budget, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) said Tuesday. Otherwise, the Tea Party favorite warned, troops could run out of toilet paper.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Allen West, Budget, Military, Pentagon budget
Betty McCollum
Dem Rep Continues Fight To Strip Pentagon NASCAR Sponsoring (VIDEO)
Rep. Betty McCollum
The checkered flag apparently has not waved yet on Rep. Betty McCollum's (D-MN) fight to strip away Pentagon funding from NASCAR.
On MSNBC this afternoon, the St. Paul, Minn., congresswoman showed no signs of backing down on her staunch criticism of the Defense Department spending $7 million sponsoring the #39 Sprint Cup U.S. Army Chevy Impala, driven by Ryan Newman.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Betty McCollum, House of Representatives, MSNBC, NASCAR, Pentagon budget, pentagon
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Chances Up For Federal Shutdown
The Hill reports: "The chances of a government shutdown are on the rise. With less than three weeks to strike a deal before government funding for the year is scheduled to expire, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are moving in opposite directions. Lawmakers from both parties stress they want to avoid a rerun of the stalemate that led to a shutdown in late 1995 and early 1996. But the rhetoric on spending has escalated, and Democratic and GOP officials are already prepping for the blame game."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:15 a.m. ET. The President will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. ET. Obama and Biden will meet for lunch at 12:15 p.m. ET. Then at 1:30 p.m. ET, the President and First Lady will honor recipients of the 2010 Medal of Freedom. Obama and Biden will meet at 4:30 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
Topics: 2012 Presidential Primaries, 2012 elections, Barack Obama, Budget, Chris Christie, Defense Spending, Joe Biden, Pentagon budget, Pres '12, Robert Gates, Roundup
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Obama To Name Sperling New Economic Adviser
Reuters reports: "President Barack Obama, retooling his economic team to boost sluggish U.S. growth and tackle emboldened Republicans, will on Friday name Gene Sperling as the new head of his National Economic Council...Sperling's pick to replace Larry Summers at the economic council follows Obama's naming of a new chief of staff and the resignation of his press secretary, as the president shakes up his team after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives this week."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:45 a.m. ET, and meet at 10:15 a.m. ET with senior advisers. At 11:20 a.m. ET, he will tour Thompson Creek Manufacturing in Landover, Maryland, and deliver remarks at 11:35 a.m. ET on the monthly employment report, and make economic personnel announcements -- expected to be the announcement of the appointment of Gene Sperling.
Topics: 2012 elections, Barack Obama, Bob Goodlatte, Constitution, DCCC, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Gene Sperling, House '12, Pentagon budget, Robert Gates, Roundup
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Obama: Vilsack 'Jumped The Gun' On Sherrod
In an interview with ABC News, President Obama said that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack "jumped the gun" in the firing of Shirley Sherrod. "He jumped the gun, partly because we now live in this media culture where something goes up on YouTube or a blog and everybody scrambles," said Obama. He also added: "I've told my team and I told my agencies that we have to make sure that we're focusing on doing the right thing instead of what looks to be politically necessary at that very moment. We have to take our time and think these issues through."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 11 a.m. ET, and meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with senior advisers. He does not have any public events scheduled for today.
Topics: 2010 elections, Barack Obama, Jack Lew, Joe Biden, Nuclear nonproliferation, OMB, Pentagon budget, Roundup, Russia, Shirley Sherrod, Tom Vilsack, Trade
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Arizona Immigration Law To Get First Major Court Hearing
The Associated Press reports: "A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday over whether Arizona's new immigration law should take effect later this month, marking the first major hearing in one of seven challenges to the strict law. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton also will consider arguments over Gov. Jan Brewer's request to dismiss the challenge filed by Phoenix police Officer David Salgado and the statewide nonprofit group Chicanos Por La Causa. The judge said last week she wasn't making any promises on whether she will rule on the officer's request to block enforcement of the law before it takes effect July 29."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and will meet at 10 a.m. ET with senior advisers. He will depart from the White House at 10:45 a.m. ET, and depart from Andrews Air Force Base at 11 a.m. ET, arriving at 12:35 p.m. ET in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He will deliver remarks at 1:30 p.m. ET at the groundbreaking of the new Compact Power plant, an electric vehicle battery company funded by the stimulus program. He will depart from Grand Rapids at 3:15 p.m. ET, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base at 4:45 p.m. ET, and back at the White House at 5 p.m. ET.
Topics: 2010 elections, Arizona, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, NRCC, Pentagon budget, Pete Sessions, Robert Gibbs, Roundup, Senate '10
Deficit
Obama Government Finds $19B In Cost Savings By Cutting Contracting, Consolidating Software Buys
President Barack Obama
The Obama administration identified cuts to contracting within the federal government that puts the United States on track to save $19 billion this year and $40 billion by the end of the 2011 fiscal year.
Among the cuts is the consolidation of software purchases at the Department of Homeland Security to save more than $87 million.
"These changes will save the American people billions of dollars," President Obama said at an event today announcing the award winner from a government contest to identify savings.
He also said that next year he'd host an event at the White House seeking ideas from private sector on how to cut government spending.
Earlier today, staffers from the Office of Management and Budget outlined some of the cuts and announced the government will create an online "dashboard" so taxpayers can gauge whether agencies are meeting their goals.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Budget, Deficit, Department of Homeland Security, Pentagon budget
Defense Spending
Ending F-22: $2.9B, Laser Aircraft Savings: $214M, Cutting Wasteful Defense Spending: Priceless
The Pentagon
The White House sent TPMDC some figures detailing the savings from the waste the Obama administration slashed from the Pentagon budget.
We detailed the cuts earlier, since President Obama will use them as an example of how "change" has come to Washington.
More information is here, but the list of cuts and their savings provided by an administration aide is after the jump.
Topics: Barack Obama, Defense Spending, F-22, Hate Crimes bill, Pentagon budget, Robert Gates
Defense Spending
Obama To Say Waste Cut From Pentagon Budget Proves 'Change Is Possible'
President Barack Obama
President Obama today will trumpet his administration's efforts to slash wasteful projects from defense spending when signing the Defense Authorization bill approving the Pentagon's funding blueprint.
At 2:30 in the White House Rose Garden Obama will sign the measure authorizing 2010 spending of $680 billion . The president will laud Defense Secretary Robert Gates for helping him remove funding for F-22 fighter jets and a new fleet of presidential helicopters.
"Today, we are putting an end to some wasteful projects that lawmakers have tried to kill for years," Obama will say, according to excerpts of his remarks obtained by TPMDC. "And in doing so, we are changing business-as-usual in Washington."
The president will present the signing as proving that "change is possible." Gates, the lone Republican Obama retained from the Bush administration, will be on hand to reap the praise.
Washington insiders believe Gates won't stay through the entire administration, but Obama will signal he's happy with his defense secretary in his remarks, saying they will keep fighting to cut waste in the months "and years" to come.
As we've written, the authorization also will create a new federal designation for hate crimes.
The excerpts we've obtained after the jump.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Barack Obama, Defense Spending, F-22, Pentagon budget, Robert Gates
Defense Spending
Republicans Complain To Gates About Lack Of Transparency, Harbinger Of Budget Fight Ahead
Several weeks ago, when Robert Gates released early details of the Pentagon budget, we noticed a peculiar, but, I suppose, predictable trend. With an assist from the media, conservatives and other stakeholders--seeking to attack the administration, and protect their parochial interests--began to portray the proposal as a soft-on-defense spending cut, when, in fact, the bottom line represented a modest defense spending increase.
You don't hear too much of that meme anymore. But you do hear quite a bit these days, from Congressional Republicans, and others, that the budget process has been maddeningly opaque--that, for instance officials have been barred via non-disclosure agreement from discussing budget details with anybody outside the Pentagon or relevant government agency while the document was being assembled. John T. Bennett of Defense News first reported the existence of the agreement in February, and he sends along a copy, which you can see for yourself here. The terms of the agreement were rescinded earlier this week.
Still, that didn't please members of Congress who will have ultimate say over the budget itself. At a House Armed Services Committee hearing yesterday, Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) grilled Gates about the so-called "gag order," and what he described as the general lack of transparency in the budget process as a whole.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Defense Spending, House of Representatives, Pentagon budget, Republicans, Robert Gates, pentagon
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