Defense | Voter.org

Big pay raise for troops in defense bill sent to Biden. Conservatives stymied on cultural issues

December 15, 2023 Bill, sent, Troops, “Cultural, stymied, raise, Biden, Defense, issues, Conservatives0 comment

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a defense policy bill Thursday that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades, overcoming objections from some conservatives concerned the measure did not do enough to restrict the Pentagon’s diversity initiatives, abortion travel policy and gender-affirming health care for transgender service members. The $ 886 billion bill was approved by a vote of 310-118 and now goes to President Joe Biden after the Senate had overwhelmingly passed it Wednesday. It is likely the last piece of major legislation Congress…

Christmas cometh; whither the Defense Authorization bill?

December 11, 2023 Christmas, Authorization, cometh, whither, Defense, Bill0 comment

It’s down to the wire for the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, over which the House and Senate are still working out differences. This as Congress prepares to depart for the holidays. For the details, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with Bloomberg Government Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Interview transcript: Tom Temin So they just need to vote, or what’s left yet to do, so that they make their annual deadline of end of calendar year? Loren Duggan Yeah, this is all about getting the final product across the…

Democrats’ Evolving Defense Means Biden Impeachment Closing In, GOP Congressman Says

November 9, 2023 Biden, says, Defense, Means, Closing, Congressman, Impeachment, Evolving, Democrats0 comment

Democrats’ evolving defense of President Joe Biden and his family’s business activities speaks volumes about where the congressional investigation that is now an impeachment inquiry is going, says Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga. “If the evidence wasn’t legitimate evidence, they would still be at their very first position,” Clyde, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, told The Daily Signal in a phone interview Wednesday. “But they are not because the evidence has refuted their position. It’s going to refute their position all the way to the point of legitimate articles…

Contractors are also combing through the House and Senate defense authorization bills

August 1, 2023 Senate, House, Defense, bills, through, Contractors, also, Authorization, combing0 comment

The defense authorization bills, while contentious, would do a lot for contractors; from inflation relief to easing greenhouse gas emissions reporting. For a summary, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with Haynes Boone procurement attorney Dan Ramish. Interview Transcript: Tom Temin The defense authorization bills, while contentious, would do a lot for contractors from inflation relief to easing greenhouse gas emissions reporting. We get a summary from Haynes Boone procurement attorney Dan Ramish. And I guess, Dan, we should begin by noting, even though the House and the Senate have…

House Republicans push through defense bill limiting abortion access and halting diversity efforts

July 16, 2023 House, Defense, Push, Bill, Efforts, through, halting, Diversity, Republicans, limiting, abortion, Access0 comment

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a sweeping defense bill Friday that provides an expected 5.2% pay raise for service members but strays from traditional military policy with Republicans add-ons blocking abortion coverage, diversity initiatives at the Pentagon and transgender care that deeply divided the chamber. Democrats voted against the package, which had sailed out of the House Armed Services Committee on an almost unanimous vote weeks ago before being loaded with the GOP priorities during a heated late-night floor debate this week. The final vote was 219-210, with four…

Firefighters get what they want in the new Defense Authorization law

January 1, 2023 want, Defense, they, firefighters, Authorization0 comment

Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drive’s daily audio interviews on Apple Podcasts or PodcastOne. Like much of the legislation enacted in the past couple of years, the National Defense Authorization Act has something for everybody. That includes the nation’s federal and military firefighters. For more, the Federal Drive turned to the president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, Edward Kelly. Interview transcript: Tom Temin Let’s just establish that the NDAA mainly concerned federal firefighters, military firefighters, but they are also represented by your union. Edward…