Ideas
Congress Rushes to Spend Billions on Space Weapons—Even if They Don’t Work
Even a bare-bones system would be ridiculously costly, and more likely to foster war than prevent it.
Policy
Opposition to a Space Force Simmers in the Senate
But Republicans who oppose the president’s push appear largely content to hold their fire until next year.
Ideas
Trump’s Space Force Will Have to Wait
The president has called for the creation of a new military branch. So far, Congress is ignoring him.
Ideas
There’s No Defending Trump Anymore
The spectacle in Helsinki is over. Now it’s time for Congress—and the American people—to act.
Ideas
A 2016 Congressional Candidate Asked For—and Received—Information Stolen by Russia
Robert Mueller's Friday indictment of 12 Russians who hacked for the military intelligence agency doesn't name the candidate.
Threats
Cyber Researchers Don’t Think Feds or Congress Can Protect Against Cyberattacks
Only 15 percent of cyber researchers think the U.S. can defend against a critical infrastructure cyberattack, according to a survey.
Science & Tech
Florida Airport Will Be the First to Scan Every International Traveler's Face
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is doing it to meet a Congressional mandate to speed up security lines.
Policy
Army Corps of Engineers May Lose Its Domestic Missions
The White House's sweeping reorganization proposal would move the Corps' navigation functions to the Transportation Department, and other civil works missions to Interior.
Ideas
Congress May Declare the Forever War
A proposed law with bipartisan support would dramatically weaken the ability of legislators to extricate the United States from perpetual armed conflict.
Policy
Congress Says It Doesn’t Need a Tech Advisory Office
Lawmakers voted against reinstating the Office of Technology Assessment, which was defunded in 1995.
Ideas
Rick Perry Should Not Be Allowed to Pick Nuclear Weapons
The Trump administration and its allies in Congress want the Energy Secretary to determine whether to develop a new class of low-yield nuclear weapons.
Business
Scrapped: $24M Plan to Replace Refrigerators On Air Force One
Rep. Joe Courtney says the no-bid deal “didn’t pass the smell test.”
Ideas
The Status Quo Killed 17 US Sailors. The Navy Must Change.
The surface warfare community should embrace, not reject, a congressional mandate to divide new line officers into two specialties.
Ideas
Did Congress Just Shut Down Trump’s War Plans for Iran?
The Senate would do well to follow the House’s lead — and go even farther to shut all the backdoors to war.
Policy
Senate Defense Bill Aims to Scrub Cyber Adversaries from US Military Tech
The bill would require companies to disclose if they’d shared source code with foreign governments.
Ideas
Back Off, Congress: Don’t Meddle With the US Navy’s Command Philosophy
A proposal to force surface-ship officers to specialize would undermine a conceptual pillar of the world’s dominant naval power.
Ideas
America’s New Stealth Bomber has a Stealthy Price Tag
Revealing how much the Air Force’s B-21 is costing won’t help America’s enemies — but will make oversight possible.
Threats
White House Cuts Cyber Coordinator Role But Lawmakers Say Not So Fast
House Democrats charged National Security Adviser John Bolton’s move lowers the White House’s cyber expertise as threats are increasing.
Threats
Congress Wrestles with Foreign Infiltration of US Universities
The latest NDAA tries to stop potential adversaries from recruiting talent and stealing innovative technology on campus.
Ideas