Defense Authorization Act

A group of 70 lawmakers have urged President Donald Trump to avoid defense cuts that would see a whopping $733 billion budget requested by Pentagon downsized by about 5%, unless he wants to compromise US safety.

A Senate committee has slammed the Pentagon's beleaguered F-35 fighter jet program, for claiming that a $661mn spend on bulk-buying parts would help it save some $1.2 billion. The real amount is half that, it has been revealed.

A Senate committee proposal for the 2018 military budget would further boost Pentagon spending on troops and equipment, make the US presence in Eastern Europe a persistent feature, and supply lethal weapons to Ukraine, among other things.

Congress has authorized $618.7 billion for the 2017 military budget. The bill ups aid to Ukraine by $50 million and allows the transfer of missiles to Syrian rebels. However, it omits controversial provisions about drafting women or religious exemptions for contractors.

The GOP majority in Congress is pushing a draft of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which they say will fully fund the US military. The Pentagon is not happy with micro-management, however, and the White House is threatening to veto the bill.

The Kentucky Senator and GOP presidential candidate Rand Paul filed an amendment to a military funding bill, demanding the release of 28 pages from the 9/11 report that have been classified since 2002 and allegedly link Saudi Arabia to the attacks.