Policy

Lawmaker: Human Problem at Pentagon Worse than Tech Problem

Rep. Jim Cooper says Congress shouldn’t accept a government topped by acting political appointees.

Ideas

A Closer Look at the Arguments against the Low-Yield SLBM

Why should the U.S. forgo a modest technical adjustment that improves forces supporting its strategy for deterring limited nuclear war? 

Science & Tech

HASC Chair on Mini-Nukes: 'We’re Not Trying to Manage a Nuclear War'

House Democrats don’t want to fund variable-yield nukes. The new chairman just explained why.

Ideas

House Democrats Want To Kill This More Useable Nuke. They’re Right.

There are no good arguments for the W76-2 warhead, and quite a few good ones against.

Science & Tech

Fight Deepfakes with Cyberweapons and Sanctions, Experts Tell Congress

Social media companies and the federal government must help fight hyper-realistic misinformation, witnesses told the House Intelligence Committee.

Threats

Buttigieg Rips Congress Over War Powers

Navy vet's insurgent campaign has skyrocketed him to 14 percent in an early Iowa poll.

Policy

‘Space Force’ Shrinks in House Proposal

A bipartisan amendment would trim several generals from the new space-focused component.

Ideas

Save This One Piece of the INF Treaty

Preserving the ballistic-missile ban would reduce the danger of leaving the treaty — and light a path to its replacement.

Threats

House Democrats Want To Ban Sending New Prisoners To Gitmo

President Trump has vowed to keep the facility open, promising on the campaign trail to fill it up with “bad dudes.”

Science & Tech

Lawmakers Question FBI’s Facial Recognition Program

The bureau for years ignored concerns about the accuracy and transparency of its facial recognition efforts, and the House Oversight Committee isn’t happy about it.

Policy

Lawmakers Want the Final Say on Air Force One Paint Job

A House panel has drafted legislation that would require congressional approval if Trump wants to change the Kennedy-era livery.

Ideas

New, More Usable Nukes for Trump? No.

Congress should use the new defense authorization bill to bar the deployment of new, dangerous, and redundant nuclear weapons.

Policy

Nuclear Experts Beg Congress to Push Back on Trump Administration’s ‘Dangerous Impulses’

A letter asks House and Senate Armed Services leaders to defund small nukes and support an extension for New START.

Policy

Still 'Acting' Shanahan Faces Test With China Face-off and USS McCain Scandal

Raising the stakes for the would-be SecDef, the White House has not yet sent formal nomination paperwork to the Senate.

Ideas

Mueller: Russia Interfered, Trump Obstructed. Now It’s Up to Congress.

Read our report, says the special counsel: the evidence does not exonerate the president.

Policy

Trump Bypasses Congress to Sell Arms to Saudis, UAE

The rare decision, a fallout of last year’s Khashoggi killing, comes as tensions rise with Iran.

Policy

Space Force Clears Senate Committee After House Attempt to Stall

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s legislation “greatly increases the odds that we end up with some sort of a Space Force,” one expert says.

Threats

Senate Panel Votes to Let Gitmo Prisoners Into US for Medical Treatment

With an aging population, Democrats in the House, and Navy officers asking for guidance, there’s a chance it finally passes.

Science & Tech

3 Lawmakers Propose $2.2B Over 5 Years to Advance AI

The Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act would devote resources to education and research, and help coordinate AI adoption across government.

Threats

Iran Briefings Leave Congress Divided Over Trump’s Intentions, War Powers

“Everybody is deeply concerned about Congress getting cut out,” said one Democrat after hearing from Pompeo, Dunford, and Shanahan.