Defense Drumbeat

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all of us at the HASC! Read more »

WASHINGTON - Last night, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, joined Fox News to discuss the reports regarding a Pentagon study done by the Defense Business Board on spending: Read more »

Members of Congress, civilian officials, and military leaders gathered over the first weekend of December to address the health of our national defense and stimulate discussions that promote policies to strengthen the U.S. military. Chairman Thornberry, honorary chairman of the event, opened the Reagan National Defense Forum, hosted at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi… Read more »

On the heels of aggressive actions from North Korea, Iran, and Russia, a news piece from CBS and one from the Wall Street Journal paint an alarming picture of the growing nuclear threat to the United States. Both make the case for a strong, credible, and reliable deterrent in the face of the “gathering nuclear storm.” Read more »

WASHINGTON - Today, former Senator Elizabeth Dole was joined by military caregivers to speak with Tom Hanks and military wife Jessica Allen on TODAY Tuesday announcing the creation of the Hidden Heroes campaign. Dole discussed her time caring for her husband and the men and women she met along the way who continue to serve the nation taking care of our wounded warriors. Chairman Thornberry commented on the initiative: Read more »

Defense readiness challenges are a major focus this year of the Committee’s oversight, as well as a major emphasis of the House-passed FY17 NDAA. The safety, security, and reliability of our nuclear weapons are no exception. Not only must Congress help ensure that the people who work in the nuclear enterprise are ready, lawmakers also have a responsibility to ensure that the tools and infrastructure involved are ready as well. Read more »

WASHINGTON – Troops will see yet another low pay raise next year if President Barack Obama has his way, but the president’s decision to limit an increase to 1.6 percent is not necessarily a done deal. Read more »

Press reports continue to highlight readiness shortfalls in the realm of Navy and Marine Corps F-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. Read more »

David Petraeus and Michael O’Hanlon, both accomplished professionals, have reached the pinnacle of their respective career fields. General Petraeus led the “Surge” in Iraq, one of America’s greatest military achievements, while Dr. O’Hanlon was among the first scholars to recognize, against the judgment of his peers, that the “Surge” had changed the facts on the ground in Iraq. That's why their calling talk of a crisis in U.S. military readiness a “myth” is a head-scratching disappointment... Read more »

By Chirman Mac Thornberry Excerpts Below - Full Piece Here in RealClearDefense"Khizr Khan’s remarks about his son’s service in Iraq at the Democrat National Convention last month have provoked a national conversation about military service, sacrifice, and what it will take to keep America safe in the years ahead.There is never enough honor we can show to the families of… Read more »

It's something akin to raising the dead. A troubling shortage of flyable combat aircraft -- one military official recently called the air fleet the "smallest, oldest and least ready" in history -- is forcing the military to go to its "boneyard." Read more »

Republican leaders in Congress are demanding President Obama seek additional funding to pay for new troops heading to Iraq and those staying in Afghanistan, potentially setting up a bitter political fight just as lawmakers are negotiating a final defense policy bill. Read more »

WASHINGTON - Yesterday, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, delivered remarks and sat down for a discussion on the National Defense Authorization Act with the Heritage Foundation. To watch the event in its entirety click here. Read more »

YESTERDAY, Mike Rogers, former Congressman from Michigan, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and former U.S. Army officer, highlighted the military readiness crisis facing the nation during his radio segment "Something To Think About." Listen to his thoughts here. Read more »

PRESIDENT'S POLITICALLY-MOTIVATED TROOP CAP COSTING MILLIONS AND DAMAGING ARMY Read more »