Latest news with #DepartmentofDefenseAppropriationsAct
The Hill
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Golden Dome set to get another $13B as project leader takes helm
President Trump's Golden Dome missile defense project officially has a new team lead and gained potentially another $13 billion, setting the effort on a race to hit its ambitious three-year timeline. The office will be led by Vice Chief of Space Operations Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, unanimously confirmed by the Senate on Thursday as the first Golden Dome for America Direct Reporting Program Manager, according to a Pentagon statement released Tuesday. Guetlein, who Trump named as the Golden Dome lead in May, will be 'responsible for developing the Golden Dome portfolio of capabilities,' and report directly to Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg. 'Golden Dome for America requires a whole-of-nation response to deter and, if necessary, to defeat attacks against the United States,' the Pentagon said in the release. 'We have the technological foundation, national talent, and decisive leadership to advance our nation's defenses. We are proud to stand behind Gen. Mike Guetlein as he takes the helm of this national imperative.' Intended to protect the skies over the continental United States, Golden Dome promises a network of space-based missiles launched from satellites to intercept missiles launched from the ground, an expensive, untested technology. The Trump administration has insisted the project is necessary to protect against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks and will only cost $175 billion. To fund the effort, $24.4 billion was included for the project in the One Big, Beautiful Bill, signed by Trump on July 4. Then on July 17, the House voted to pass the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which includes roughly $13 billion for advanced initiatives to support Golden Dome. But the purported price tag, also announced by Trump in May, is far below estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, which pegged the figure at more than $500 billion over 20 years to develop. Other estimates have placed the cost at $1 trillion. What's more, missile defense experts highly doubt a Golden Dome system as Tump has described can be created in under three years. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) last month called out 'the physics' of Golden Dome, pressing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to seek out viability analysis from scientists instead of defense and space firms. 'This idea, you know, might not be fully baked,' Kelly, an engineer by trade, told Hegseth during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on June 18. 'You've got to go back and take a look at this. . . . You could go down a road here and spend hundreds of billions of dollars of the taxpayers' money, get to the end, and we have a system that is not functional,' Kelly added. In its statement, the Pentagon said Golden Dome would establish partnerships with industry, academia, national labs and other government agencies to rapidly develop and field the system, with an architecture to be developed within the next 60 days.
Newsweek
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
AOC Reacts After Bronx Campaign Office Vandalized with Red Paint
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has responded on X after her Bronx campaign office was vandalized over the weekend. "AOC funds genocide in Gaza" was written in red paint by the vandals. In addition, the entrance to the office was splashed with red paint. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat from New York, has faced backlash from some of her supporters after voting against a bill that sought to reduce funding for Israel's aerial defense system. Ocasio-Cortez posted, "Google is free. If you're saying I voted for military funding, you are lying. Receipts attached. Drag me for my positions all you want, but lying about them doesn't make you part of the 'left.' If you believe neo-nazis are welcome and operating in good faith, you can have them!" In her post, she shared her "nay" vote for the Department of Defense Appropriations Act last month. The legislation that seemed to trigger the vandalism was an amendment to the bill. The progressive representative also posted on Blue Sky, "People exploding this false messaging that I voted for a bill + funding that I quite literally voted NO on. The threat environment this morning is scary. Doesn't help anyone. Drag me for the position if you disagree but don't lie. It's out of control. Saying I voted for this funding is false." This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
New York Post
21-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
AOC's Bronx HQ vandalized with red paint after Israel vote: ‘F-CK AOC!'
Progressive New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Bronx headquarters was vandalized by anti-Israeli activists after she voted against cutting US funding for Israel. The office in Westchester Square in the East Bronx was splattered in red paint on Sunday, and adorned with a sign reading 'AOC funds genocide in Gaza' days after congresswoman ditched her fellow 'Squad' colleagues and voted against a proposed amendment to slash millions in aid for Israel's missile defense. A photograph of Ocasio-Cortez's face in the window was completely covered by the paint, photos show. Advertisement 'F–K AOC,' a group known as the Boogie Down Liberation Front told reporter Ashoka Jegroo while taking responsibility for the vandalism. AOC's Bronx office was defaced with red paint. James Keivom 'The Bronx is sick and tired of people like AOC and Ritchie Torres using us as a stepping stone for their own political careers,' the group said in a statement. Advertisement 'The Bronx stands with the people of Palestine and we denounce the hypocrisy of AOC who voted to fund Israel's ongoing genocide and starvation campaign in Gaza. F–K AOC!' The lefty congresswoman has been taking heat from her progressive supporters after she voted against an amendment for the Department of Defense Appropriations Act proposed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Friday that sought to cut $500 million from Israel's air defense systems. The amendment, which was emphatically spiked 6 to 422, was supported by GOP Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Ocasio-Cortez's progressive 'Squad' pals, including Reps. Ilhan Omar (Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.). AOC voted against an amendment to a defense bill that would have cut funding for Israel. James Keivom Advertisement The House of Representatives ultimately passed the bill early Friday 221 to 209, allocating some $832 billion in defense funding for fiscal year 2026, including a boost in pay for troops as well as increased research and development spending. 'Marjorie Taylor Greene's amendment does nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of US munitions being used in Gaza. Of course I voted against it,' the congresswoman posted on X amid the backlash. 'What it does do is cut off defensive Iron Dome capacities while allowing the actual bombs killing Palestinians to continue,' she continued. 'I remain focused on cutting the flow of US munitions that are being used to perpetuate the genocide in Gaza.'
American Military News
20-07-2025
- Business
- American Military News
$832 billion defense bill passed by the House
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act early Friday morning. The bill would allocate approximately $832 billion in defense funds for Fiscal year 2026 and would include a 3.8% pay increase for military members. According to The New York Post, the House approved the Department of Defense Appropriations Act in a 221-209 vote on Friday. The outlet noted that only five Democrats voted in support of the bill, while every Republican representative supported the bill except Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.). 'Providing our men and women in uniform with the resources they need to keep America safe is one of the most important constitutional responsibilities of Congress. The passage of the FY26 Defense Appropriations Act advances our national security goals by investing in the platforms and programs that enhance America's military dominance,' Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) said in a Friday press release. Calvert added, 'The bill makes innovation a priority by expanding programs I have championed that rapidly deploy cutting-edge, difference making systems into the hands of our warfighters. Our troops are the backbone of our national security and receive a well-deserved pay raise in this bill.' READ MORE: New defense tech company reveals major power development The New York Post reported that the House's Department of Defense Appropriations Act includes a 3.8% pay increase for National Guard troops, active-duty military members, and reserve military members. According to Federal News Network, the bill also includes a 60% increase in the military's family separation allowance. Federal News Network reported that the House's Department of Defense Appropriations Act would increase the military's separation allowance to $400 each month for U.S. service members. The outlet noted that while Fiscal Year 2024's defense bill previously authorized the Department of Defense to increase pay for military members who are involuntarily separated from dependents from $250 per month to $400 per month, the Pentagon has not yet increased the pay. In a statement following the House Armed Services Committee's approval of the bill ahead of the full House vote on the legislation, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) explained that it has 'never been more important to have a ready, lethal, and capable fighting force' then at a time when the United States facing 'rapidly evolving' and 'complex' threats across the globe. 'Equipping an innovative and agile military requires an efficient and streamlined acquisition process,' Rogers added. 'The FY26 NDAA supports modernization and fundamentally reforms defense acquisition by cutting red tape, eliminating bureaucratic hurdles, and encouraging innovation.'
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
House approves $832B defense funding bill with pay boost for troops
WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives passed a bill early Friday that would allocate roughly $832 billion in defense funding for fiscal year 2026, including a boost in pay for troops as well as increased research and development spending. The Department of Defense Appropriations Act cleared the lower chamber in a 221-209 vote, with five Democrats joining almost every Republican in support. Reps. Don Davis (D-NC), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Adam Gray (D-Calif.) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) all voted in favor of the measure. Advertisement 3 Before it passed, GOPers joined with 'Squad' pols to try to cut $500 million in funding for a cooperative program that boosts Israel's missile defense systems — but failed in a 422-6 vote. AP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) opposed it on the GOP side. Before the bill was passed, Greene and Massie joined 'Squad' Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) to try to cut $500 million in funding for a cooperative program that boosts Israel's missile defense systems — only for the measure to fail in a 422-6 vote. Advertisement The House's bill included provisions to bolster funding for active, National Guard, and reserve military personnel with a 3.8% pay bump for service members. 3 The House's bill included provisions to bolster funding for active, National Guard, and reserve military personnel with a 3.8% pay bump for service members. REUTERS It also would slash $7 billion from the current operation and maintenance budget, lowering spending in that area to $283 billion. At least $148 billion will also go toward Defense Department research, development, and testing. Another $1.15 billion will help crack down on international traffickers and fund counter-drug programs. Advertisement Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a statement that the legislation 'supports modernization and fundamentally reforms defense acquisition by cutting red tape, eliminating bureaucratic hurdles, and encouraging innovation.' 3 The House measure comes only a few weeks after congressional Republicans gave the thumbs-up to a separate $150 billion defense plan tucked into President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Getty Images The Senate Armed Services Committee advanced its own version of the defense spending bill July 9, with additional provisions to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding research carried out by foreign adversaries, including Russia and China. Advertisement The House measure comes only a few weeks after congressional Republicans gave the thumbs-up to a separate defense plan worth more than $150 billion tucked into President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, $25 billion of which was set aside for a 'Golden Dome' missile defense system in the US. The president's budget balanced the increased funding from the reconciliation bill with the annual appropriations process to tout more than $1 trillion in total defense spending in fiscal year 2026.
