On July 19 the House completed floor action on and passed the FY 2013 Defense Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5856) by a vote of 326-90. Click here for our review of the Committee version of the bill. Click here for lessons learned from the bill.
Dutch Parliament Says No to the F-35
UPDATE 7/13: See here for some additional context on the Dutch Parliament’s vote on the F-35 and why it’s unlikely to be the last word on the matter.
Quote of the Day: More Money Might Not Solve the Problem Edition
Nevertheless, NNSA continues to experience significant deficiencies, particularly in its management of major projects and contracts. As we testified in February 2012, a basic tenet of effective management is the ability to complete projects on time and within budget. However, for more than a decade, NNSA has continued to experience significant cost and schedule overruns on its major projects, principally because of ineffective oversight and poor contractor management.
GOP: for policies before being against them
Ezra Klein pointed out recently in a Washington Post piece the challenge that President Obama faces in his dealings with today’s Republican Party. Using the DREAM Act as an example, Klein shows how longstanding Republican positions, after being embraced by Obama, become toxic, making bipartisanship difficult if not impossible.
Review of the SASC Version of the FY 2013 Defense Bill: Nuclear Weapons and Missile Defense
On May 24 the Senate Armed Services Committee unanimously approved its version of the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (S. 3254).