Last week, a bipartisan cohort of representatives sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to seek congressional authorization before taking any further military action in Syria. Since the U.S. entered into the Syrian conflict in 2014, vague justifications derived from the post-9/11 Authorization for Use of Military Force have been used to support... Read more »

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In a letter sent to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Mattis implored for a new base realignment and closure (BRAC) round after a Department of Defense (DOD) report found it maintains “significant excess capacity.” The report found 19 percent of DOD’s facilities are unneeded. Maintaining these facilities... Read more »

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October 13th marks the birthday of the United States Navy. The Navy traces its roots back to the early days of the American Revolution. On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress authorized 2 armed vessels to search for ships supplying the British army with weapons and ammunition during the American Revolutionary War. When the war... Read more »

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Congress has the fundamental responsibility of providing for the common defense. In a time where our country faces a $20 trillion debt, it is imperative our defense budget is used efficiently for critical priorities. Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Sen. John McCain and Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed have introduced an amendment into... Read more »

The post CVA Urges Senate to Pass BRAC Amendment appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Today is our Secretary of Defense’s birthday! Secretary James Mattis took on running the Department of Defense as part of the Trump administration, but he lived a lifetime of service to his nation as a Marine before taking that office. General Mattis spent more than 40 years in the Marine Corps, earning the respect and... Read more »

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The Department of Defense spends more money than any other federal agency, and too often spends that money inefficiently or wastefully. Part of that massive spending is on underutilized military installations. To combat the costs of these bases and better plan for the military’s future, Pentagon officials have repeatedly requested a round of Base Realignment... Read more »

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Last week, an outside accounting firm determined the Department of Defense (DOD) is once again unable to complete an audit. President Trump has pledged to strengthen America’s military, but this failure to produce an audit continues to undermine the president’s efforts to shore up our national defense. The DOD is the only federal agency not... Read more »

The post DOD’s Supply Agency Shows Need for Spending Reform appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Men and women in the armed forces are held to the highest standards and taught discipline, respect and service to our country. Those high standards should be reflected by the Pentagon in the way that it conducts its fiscal affairs and record-keeping. Recent failures in the Department of Defense’s bookkeeping procedures have resulted in the... Read more »

The post Pentagon’s Poor Record-Keeping and Reckless Spending Creates Need for Reform appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

The House and Senate Armed Services Committee finished their markup of the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in June, authorizing billions of dollars more than what President Trump requested. The timeline for the NDAA passing both chambers is uncertain due to the NDAA being blocked from a fast-track debate in the Senate last week.... Read more »

The post NDAA: More Reforms Needed To Eliminate Waste, Strengthen Security appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.

Congress just returned from recess yesterday to a full plate of hearings, debates, and discussions. With just a few legislative weeks until the August recess, there is much to get done in both the House and Senate, specifically on the budget. This is a busy week for the House and Senate’s Veterans Affairs Committees as... Read more »

The post This week on the Hill – Veterans’ choice, VA efficiency and NDAA appeared first on Concerned Veterans for America.