Air Force Secretary to Retire
Air Force Secretary Michael Donley will retire in June, the Pentagon has announced. Donley, who became acting secretary in June 2008 and was confirmed by the Senate four months later, will “return to private life” after a career in national security that spanned four decades. “It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve with our Air Force’s great airmen,” Donley said in a statement. “Their accomplishments have been nothing short of impressive, and I’m humbled to be a part of
Abrams Tank Pushed By Congress Despite Army’s Protests
WASHINGTON — Built to dominate the enemy in combat, the Army’s hulking Abrams tank is proving equally hard to beat in a budget battle. Lawmakers from both parties have devoted nearly half a billion dollars in taxpayer money over the past two years to build improved versions of the 70-ton Abrams. But senior Army officials have said repeatedly, “No thanks.” It’s the inverse of the federal budget world these days, in which automatic spending cuts are leaving sought-after pet pro
SC’s Clyburn Marks 20 Years in Congress
SUMTER — Nearly every hand along Sumter’s Manning Avenue reached out to U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn when, after 20 years in Congress, the third-ranking U.S. House Democrat returned to his birthplace earlier this month. After dozens of pictures, embraces and laughs, the 72-year-old Clyburn climbed a festival stage to thank the crowd, filled with people who had helped him win his first election to Congress in 1992. “Every day,” Clyburn said, his voice growing shaky, “I spend a few mo
Federal, Military Priorities Resonate Here
It has been seven years since the region’s elected leaders created the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, better known as “HRMFFA.” Its creation was in response to the near-death experience of Naval Air Station Oceana being initially listed among the facilities to be drastically realigned in the 2005 round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). HRMFFA’s mission has not changed since inception — to attract, retain and grow federal facilities for the econo
U.S. Navy, State of Florida and EDC of Florida's Space Coast Break Ground on New Submarine Missi
Today, the U.S. Navy, Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, Space Florida, and the Economic Development Commission (EDC) of Florida’s Space Coast – broke ground on the new Strategic Weapons System Ashore (SWS Ashore) facility at Cape Canaveral AFS. Space Florida and the EDC anticipate 100 jobs may be created within three years as a result of the project, with average annual salaries of $90,000 and approximately 85% of the projected workforce from civilian contractors, includ
Hoyer: Sequester Is An Irrational, Stupid And Harmful Policy That Must Be Changes
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke on the House Floor this morning about the urgent need to stop the irrational sequester. Below are his remarks and a link to the video:“Mr. Speaker, seven weeks on, America has begun to feel the effects of the Republican policy of sequestration. Sequestration defies common sense and is irresponsible. It is happening because the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party, frankly, is bent on cutting spending no ma
BRAC Cost Analysis Model Doesn’t Allow for Inestimable Costs, GAO Report Finds
The Defense Department understimates the costs of base closures, because outsourced work isn’t accounted for in the department’s reporting process, an April 18 Government Accountability Officereport says. DoD guidelines for determining costs of base closures require that DOD consider all costs, but without a process for considering costs related to outsourcing, reports won’t be accurate, the report says. With the military likely to shrink in size in the coming post-drawdown y
McCaul: Overseas Trip could Hold Key in Search for Attack Motive
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee is pressing for more information about what happened to bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev during the six months after he reportedly boarded a Moscow-bound plane last year. During televised interviews, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said the trip could be an indication that Tsarnaev, 26, was trained and radicalized by Chechen rebels, who work “hand in glove” with al Qaeda in Pakistan. “I’m very concerned he was out of the si
ACLU Calls for Miranda Rights for Boston Bombing Suspect
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is calling for the Obama administration to read the suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings his legal rights. The Department of Justice indicated Friday that the administration would not read 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev his Miranda rights, citing a public safety exception. But Anthony Romero, the ACLU’s executive director, said Saturday that the immediate threat is over and that Tsarnaev, an ethnic Chechen who became a naturalized U
Keeping the Feds at Bay
WASHINGTON — Rep. Andy Harris is more concerned about what federal agencies could do to the 1st Congressional District than what they could do for it. The Maryland Republican said he plans to use his new seat on the House Appropriations Committee to help prevent agencies from imposing “over-burdensome regulations” on local industries, such as Perdue. If they try to do that, Harris said, he’ll target their funding. “I intend to be quite active in making sure that our district
