Overnight Defense: Defense bill heads to Obama | Oversight panel wants answers on Pentagon waste report

THE TOPLINE: The Senate easily sent an annual defense policy bill to the White House on Thursday, though it’s unclear if President Obama will sign it. 

Senators voted 92-7 to send the wide-ranging National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to Obama’s desk.

Asked last week about the chance of a presidential veto, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said there are provisions that are “encouraging” but said they were continuing to review it. 

{mosads}

“It’s mostly free of the budgetary gimmicks, so we’re going to continue to study it,” he told reporters. 

The Hill’s Jordain Carney has more on the bill here.

HOUSE PASSES FUNDING MEASURE: House lawmakers on Thursday approved a stopgap spending bill to keep the government running through April, but the bill faces an unclear path in the Senate with a Saturday deadline looming.

Lawmakers are bolting for the exits after clearing the spending bill 326-96 in their final vote before a nearly month-long holiday recess. 

GOP leaders are confident the bill will head to the president’s desk in time to avoid a government shutdown on Saturday. The Senate is expected to take up the funding bill Friday, but delays are possible because of last-minute Democratic demands to protect retirement and health funds for thousands of coal miners.

The short-term spending bill was initially released Tuesday to little fanfare, but a Senate-added provision to expedite consideration of incoming President Donald Trump’s pick for Defense secretary, retired Gen. James Mattis, threatened to delay passage. 

Even that issue fizzled within 24 hours. Both the White House and top congressional Democrats signaled Wednesday that they would not block the bill over the Mattis language. 

The Hill’s Sarah Ferris has more on the continuing resolution here. 

DUCKWORTH CALLS SPEEDING UP MATTIS WAIVER ‘DANGEROUS’: Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) on Thursday said it was “dangerous” for Republicans to speed up congressional approval for retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Defense secretary.

“Despite some of our policy disagreements, I believe General Mattis’ qualifications and experience merit thoughtful consideration, but this dangerous procedural gamesmanship only serves to undermine his legitimacy leading our Armed Forces,” she said in a statement.

The House on Thursday approved a short-term spending measure that Republicans insisted should include provisions that would speed up congressional approval for Mattis to serve as Defense secretary.

Current law requires military officials be out of uniform for seven years before leading the Pentagon. Mattis left the military three years ago, so he’ll need a waiver from Congress to serve.

Critics of Mattis’ nomination say having a general assume leadership of the Defense Department threatens a long-standing principle of civilian control of the military.

“The American people deserve a transparent and thorough debate on the merits of eroding civilian leadership of the strongest military this world has ever known,” Duckworth said.

The Hill’s Kristina Wong has more here. 

OVERSIGHT WANTS ANSWERS ON PENTAGON WASTE REPORT: A bipartisan group of 31 House lawmakers sent a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Thursday demanding answers after a news report alleged the Pentagon tried to hide a study that showed $125 billion in waste.

House Oversight Committee members said in the letter they “question why learning about potential savings that would be enough to ‘cover the operational costs for 50 Army brigades, or 3,000 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for the Air Force, or 10 aircraft-carrier strike groups for the Navy,’ would not also be a priority.”

The January 2015 study by the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board had found that $134 billion a year was spent on back-office jobs, and recommended a plan that would save the Pentagon $125 billion over five years.

The study was allegedly buried after Pentagon leaders feared it would undercut their message that the department was starved for funding, according to a Washington Post article that published Monday.

The Obama administration has fought back against the accusations, noting that Defense News had reported on the study when it was released, and that contrary to the Post’s story, it was never removed from the board’s website.

The Hill’s Kristina Wong has more here.

JOHN GLENN DIES AT 95: Former Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio), the first American to orbit the Earth, died Thursday at the age of 95. 

He died surrounded by family at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.

On Thursday, Glenn was scheduled to be honored in his childhood hometown of New Concord, Ohio. The event was meant to remember the attack on Pearl Harbor 75 years ago and the role it played in Glenn’s life.

Glenn flew 149 combat missions as a Marine pilot during World War II and the Korean War. He then became one of the country’s first astronauts as part of the Mercury Seven crew. 

The Marine Corps issued a statement on Glenn’s passing.

“We are saddened by the news that one of Marine Corps Aviation’s legendary trailblazers and an American hero has passed away. Colonel John Glenn Jr. led a monumental life from his time serving as a fighter pilot in WWII and the Korean War to becoming the first American to orbit the Earth and fifth person in space.  

“He is an inspiration to us and our fellow Marines. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of Col. Glenn. He will be missed. Semper Fi,” it said. 

The Hill’s Jessie Hellman has more on Glenn’s passing here. 

 

ICYMI: 

— The Hill: Why Trump picked a retired general for Homeland Security

— The Hill: GOP rep accuses reporter of bias for being from Soviet Union

— The Hill: GOP pushes against potential Bergdahl pardon

— The Hill: Senators to Trump: Get tough with Russia over Ukraine

— The Hill: Dems fear Trump undermining US stature

— Associated Press: US official: 50,000 Islamic State militants killed to date

— Reuters: North Korea still struggling with nuclear missile re-entry: U.S. official

Please send tips and comments to Kristina Wong, kwong@digital-stage.thehill.com, and Rebecca Kheel, rkheel@digital-stage.thehill.com

Follow us on Twitter: @thehill, @kristina_wong, @Rebecca_H_K