GOP senators eye legislative guardrails as VA prepares mass job cuts
GOP Senate leaders said they are working with VA officials on ways to ensure that plans to cut 80,000 jobs don't dismantle department services.
Congress
Congress faces Friday budget deadline to avoid government shutdown
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of March 10, 2025.
Congress OKs Israel F-15 sale as Biden takes heat on heavy bomb pause
Key Democrats have reversed their hold on an $18 billion fighter jet sale to Israel as Prime Minister Netanyahu lambasts Biden over a munitions hold.
Pentagon’s contracting speed lane sometimes no faster, says watchdog
The "middle-tier acquisition" pathway is running into some of the same issues affecting the Pentagon's regular contracting process, a report found.
House defense bill takes aim at telework for DoD employees, contractors
Republicans especially have taken issue with lingering telework that spiked in use during the pandemic, though it has been a tool in government for decades
House says no to returning Confederate memorial to Arlington
An amendment to the House version of the annual defense bill that would return a Confederate memorial to Arlington National Cemetery failed to pass.
House defense bill would undo Pentagon’s abortion travel policy
The benefit in question provides reimbursement of travels costs to get access to otherwise noncovered reproductive health care services.
Defense spending bill would defund Biden’s Gaza pier
A series of Republican amendments to multiple defense bills would ban funding for the Gaza pier.
Senate Republicans block bill to expand IVF coverage for fed workers
Among Republicans, only Sen. Susan Collins, Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, voted yes.
Trump returns to Capitol Hill and whips up Republican lawmakers
A packed room of House Republicans sang “Happy Birthday” to Trump in the private breakfast meeting at GOP campaign headquarters across the street.
Congress still waiting on Osprey crash, safety documents from Pentagon
Lawmakers haven't received more details on Osprey proprotor gearboxes, a component that was a factor in the 2023 crash off Japan that killed eight airmen.
