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Discusses the efforts of U.S. President George W. Bush to transform the military. Pledge of Bush to skip a generation of technology to invest in radical leaps forward in weaponry; Increase in the shipbuilding budget of the Navy; Procurement of military weapons.

Presents several key areas where congressional Republicans disagree with U.S. President George W. Bush's budget proposal. Overall funding level; Department of Defense; Veteran's health care.

The article reports on the plan of U.S. senators to begin consideration of a defense authorization bill. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, stated that he would introduce the measure before the legislative body finished business on June 29, 2007. Also noted is that Democratic Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin of Michigan is expected to propose an amendment that would require the military to start reducing the size of its Iraq force within 120 days.

This article states that the U.S. Senate has began what is expected to be a lengthy debate on the fiscal 2007 Defense authorization bill. In a key early vote, senators unanimously approved an amendment by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., that would force the military to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan from its regular budget, rather than through "emergency" supplemental spending bills, which are not counted against the federal deficit.

Presents information on the V-22 Osprey aircraft from Bell and Boeing. Features of the aircraft; Budget plans of the United States Department in building V-22 aircrafts; Criticism of David S.C. Chu, former chief weapons investigator at the Pentagon.

The article presents views of Carl Levin, chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on military budget cuts and spending in the U.S. It also presents views of John McCain, a high-ranking Republican on the committee, on Levin's moderate approach to defense budget cuts. It also expands on Levin's political career, who also served as president of the City Council of Detroit, Michigan, and discusses his opposition to the Iraq War and the surge in Afghanistan.

The article discusses the stand of Republicans against the refusal of Democrats to avoid defense budget and sequestration's automatic Pentagon spending cuts. It cites the attacks made by Republicans on the issue such as the loss of jobs and national security issues. It notes the firm stand of Democrats of separating defense spending from the federal budget. It mentions the additional campaigns of Republicans on the issue such as videos, think-tank appearances and speeches.

The article reports on the plan of the U.S. Army to cut 80,000 soldiers in the coming years in response to the budget cuts faced by the Department of Defense. The department's budget is expected to fall by roughly 487 billion U.S. dollars over the next 10 years. The service is planning to offer severance packages, buyouts, and other financial incentives to encourage troops to retire or seek other work.

The article focuses on the preemptive budget moves of U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates after he vowed to end unnecessary military spending. Former Defense Department comptroller Dov Zakheim believes that Gates's move is a tactic to protect the agency from deeper cuts. Project on Defense Alternatives codirector Carl Connetta adds that Gates made warnings on the impact of budget cuts on the military. The author predicts that push for higher budget cuts than Gates has proposed mean another standoff between President Barack Obama and House Republicans.

The article discusses the move by industrial manufacturer TenCate Protective Fabrics USA to increase its lobbying efforts to seek a permanent waiver to the importation of fire resistant (FR) rayon, which will expire in 2013 under the existing Defense authorization bill. The material is supplied by Austrian firm Lenzing. Under the 1941 Berry amendment's "Buy American" provision, the Defense Department should only buy specific materials from manufacturers based in the U.S.

This section offers news briefs on the U.S. Congress as of October 2009. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have approved Continuing Resolution (C.R.) 62-38 which maintains the flow of money in federal agencies for the first month of fiscal 2010. The 636 billion dollar-fiscal 2010 defense appropriations bill is nearing its passage in the Senate as a veto threat was not issued by the administration of President Barack Obama. Senate Democrats have launched their campaign for a climate-change bill.

This section presents news on the U.S. Congress as reported in several journals. Democratic lawmakers and President Barack Obama do not agree over the issue of closing the U.S. detention facility in Guantanamo, Cuba. Legislation that would place new restrictions on credit card fees has been slated for signing by Obama on May 22, 2009. Work has been completed by Congress on a bill that would revise the way the Pentagon purchases its weapons.

The article reports on the dispute among U.S. legislators over a proposal to reduce the budget for defense. A 22 percent reduction in the budget of the Defense Department has been proposed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which include eliminating funding for various weapons systems. On the other hand, the administration of President Barack Obama favors a more cautious approach to military spending, recommending a 4 percent budget increase.

The author looks at the positions of U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama on military spending and reform of the Department of Defense (DoD). He cites that presidential candidates do not indicate a distinct agenda on national defense. He states that the senatorial track record of McCain does not show an overall strategy on military spending. He points out that the reform of the DoD will be the responsibility of the DoD secretary.

The article presents an update on the U.S. Congress in the second week of September 2008. The Congress returned on session on September 8 to discuss the economic stimulus, spending and energy legislation. House Democratic leaders are proposing to open more federal waters to oil and natural-gas production. The Senate began considering its fiscal 2009 Defense authorization bill but with slower debate due to partisan disagreement over which amendments should be allowed.

The article reports on the approval of a revised fiscal 2008 Defense authorization bill by the U.S. Senate that addresses objections raised by the government, when President George W. Bush rejected the bill. The bill authorizes military pay increases and bonuses and includes policy initiatives aimed to enhance oversight of the Defense Department and its contractors. Legislators added nonbinding language urging Bush to work with the Iraqi government to compensate the victims of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The article announces the approval of a revised version of the fiscal 2008 Defense authorization bill that addresses objections U.S. President George W. Bush raised when he unexpectedly rejected the measure in December 2007. Bush balked at a little-publicized provision that he said would freeze billions of dollars in Iraqi assets and ultimately devastate Iraqi reconstruction plans. The legislation now heads to the Senate.

The article reports on the postponement of the final action on a conference report on the fiscal 2008 U.S. Defense authorization bill until December 2007. The Democrats were unable to reach an agreement during a meeting on November 14. The move of the Senate to add an unrelated hate crimes provision to the bill was the reason for the delay.

The article reports on the fiscal 2008 appropriation bill approved and being discussed by the U.S. Senate. The Senate intends to pass two more spending bills with a third one on queue to be able to complete four out of the 12 annual appropriations measures. It predicts that the delay in the Senate will result to a stopgap continuing resolution to fund most government departments come October 1, 2007. It adds that the Defense appropriations bill might move following the Iraq progress report of General David Petraeus.

The article reports on the passage of the fiscal 2008 Defense authorization bill by the U.S. House of Representatives. It notes that the legislation authorizes $503.8 billion for the Defense Department (DOD) and for nuclear weapons activities that fall under the aegis of the Energy Department. An amendment was approved by the House that would require the DOD to study the capacity of U.S. military facilities.

The article reports that the subcommittees of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee has started to mark up an authorization bill of the Department of Defense (DoD) for fiscal 2008. The Strategic Forces Subcommittee agreed to reduce $764 million from the $8.9 billion requests for missile defense programs by the DoD. The Military Personnel Subcommittee voted to exceed the budget requests for a pay raise and additional military manpower by President George W. Bush.

The article presents updates on the final passage of the fiscal 2007 Defense authorization bill in the U.S. Congress. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner were deadlocked over whether unrelated legislation should be attached. Hastert was insisting on attaching measures to the authorization bill that would strengthen security at federal courthouses and that would make it easier to detain and deport illegal immigrant gang members.

The article reports on the status of the fiscal 2007 Defense and Homeland Security appropriations bills in the U.S. Congress. Republicans agreed to transfer $4 billion from defense accounts into social programs on the Defense spending bill. The Homeland Security spending bill was delayed over a provision that would allow U.S. citizens to import lower-priced prescription drugs across the Canadian borders.

The article reports on the failure of the U.S. House-Senate conferees to reach a final compromise on the unresolved issues in the fiscal 2007 Defense authorization bill. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner remained in negotiations over a provision that would allow military chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. The issue was considered the biggest barrier to completing conference negotiations.

The article reports on the division among U.S. Republicans over rules governing the prosecution of suspected terrorists. The House Armed Services Committee approved a military tribunal bill reflecting a proposal offered by the administration of President George W. Bush. Senate Republican leaders criticized the inability of the Bush's bill to provide adequate legal protections to detainees. The fiscal 2007 Defense appropriations bill will be completed before the Congress adjourns at the end of September 2006.

The article reports on the move of Democrats to use the debate over the passage of the U.S. Senate's fiscal 2007 Defense appropriations bill to reprove the Iraq policies of the administration of President George W. Bush. The bill is part of the plan of Republicans to focus on national security in the upcoming November 7, 2006 election. Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee chairman Ted Stevens defended Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from an amendment calling for his resignation.

The article presents an update on the fiscal 2006 appropriations bills in the U.S. Congress as of December 2005. The Labor-Health and Human Services appropriations bill was defeated on November 17 by a 209-224 vote. The bill was controversial due to the decision of appropriators to remove all earmarked projects to boost spending on other programs. Passage of the Defense spending bill could be complicated due to a provision allowing drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

Reports on the approval of the fiscal 2005 Defense authorization bill by the U.S. Senate on June 23, 2004. Sponsor of the bill; Support for a measure requiring the Department of Defense to update Congress on the status and treatment of foreign detainees; Approval of the intelligence authorization bill.

States that the U.S. Senate is debating the fiscal 2005 Defense authorization bill. Move of Republicans to block the amendment introduced by Minority Leader Tom Daschle; Details of the bill.

Deals with the political issues that must be addressed by the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress in 2003. Proposal on an increase in defense spending; Plans of Senate Republicans on a Democratic energy bill; Stand of Republicans on the plan of President George W. Bush to provide tax credits for the uninsured.

Reports the increase in the appropriations bill for the United States (U.S.) Department of Defense for 2002. Weapons that would be financed by the bill; Rejection of a request for a warship by the U.S. Navy.

Reports on the approval of a United States Department of Defense authorization bill on August 1, 2001. Amount appropriated for the department; Rejection of a proposal to retire B-1 bomber planes; Authorization of a military pay hike.

Reports on the lobbying in the United States (US) Congress to compensate families of Europeans killed when a US Marine jet sliced the cables supporting a ski resort Gondola in Cavalese, Italy. Former US representatives who are lobbying for the inclusion of the money for the victims in the Senate's Department of Defense appropriations bill; Compensations included in the Defense appropriations of the House.

Reports on the plans of Republicans in the US Congress to increase defense spending through the year 2002. Criticism of President Bill Clinton's administration for cutting the budget for the Department of Defense; House bid for the acquisition of more B-2 bombers and expansion of antimissile defense program.