Shanahan: We’re preparing two budgets

Budget

Short term budget fixes are bad government

As a recovering politician, I get it. You must play the cards you are dealt to leverage your best position in a budget negotiation. Threatening a federal government shutdown is considered the nuclear option by both parties in Congress. However, the reality is that government by continuing resolution is bad for just about everyone.
This week in Congress: First real week back for lawmakers

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Jan. 8.
Defense funding roils 2018 budget fight

To break Democrats’ insistence on parity between defense and non-defense spending increases, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is arguing defense spending has been hit harder.
Trump signs, lauds tax overhaul, off to Florida for holidays

He also signed a temporary spending bill to keep the government running and provide money to upgrade the nation’s missile defenses. The tax cut, which fulfilled a long-held Republican goal, was at the forefront of Trump’s mind.