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☆ Trump wants the power to single-handedly choke off government spending. Lawmakers aren't sweating it yet.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-21 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementTrump wants the power to refuse to spend federal dollars that Congress has already approved. Impoundment has been floated as one way that Trump could singlehandedly enact DOGE's recommended cuts to the federal budget. Meanwhile, lawmakers on Capitol Hill — including those on the House and Senate Appropriations Committees that control government spending — don't seem concerned about Trump's impoundment power grab just yet. He added that there "would be a problem" if Trump tried to impound funding approved by both chambers of Congress. AdvertisementWhat Trump could do with such sweeping powersEven if Congress won't grant Trump impoundment powers, he has another potentially more attractive avenue — the courts.

Persons: He's, Nixon, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump, doesn't, it's, Richard Nixon, Trump, DOGE's, Republican Sen, Shelly Moore Capito, haven't, I've, Robert Aderholt, Rosa DeLauro, Mark Amodei, Joe Morelle, appropriators aren't, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Mark Paoletta, there's, Daniel Schuman, Schuman, shouldn't, Vance, Karoline Leavitt Organizations: Trump, Congress, Department of Government, Capitol, Committees, Republican, West Virginia, Alabama, Democrats, Republicans, Senate, tinker, Nevada Republican, Democratic, GOP, The Washington, Trump administration's Office, Management, American Governance Institute Locations: West, Connecticut, Nevada, New York

☆ Powell to Trump: Go ahead, make my day
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That’s essentially what Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is experiencing with President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. When a reporter asked the Fed chair if he’d resign if Trump asked him to, Powell didn’t miss a beat. Removing a Fed chair isn’t so simpleIf Trump, or any president for that matter, were to try to remove a Fed chair, they would encounter a steep uphill battle. Ultimately, the Supreme Court could have the final say on what merits a “for cause” firing of a Fed chair. Trump has tried testing the limits anywayNevertheless, Trump threatened to fire Powell on several occasions when he was first president.

Persons: That’s, Jerome Powell, Donald Trump’s, Trump, he’d, Powell didn’t, “, ”, curtly, ” Powell, Powell, won’t, Powell doesn’t, Joe Biden, ” Trump Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal, Trump, Republican, Bloomberg, Economic, of Chicago Locations: New York

☆ US election looms over NATO discussions to Trump-proof Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-18 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

NATO officials say they are preparing for the US to take on a lesser role. “I’m very worried,” the NATO official said. But that mechanism, known as NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine, is not yet fully operational and won’t be for several more months, another NATO official said on Friday. Russia alone is producing around 3 million munitions per year, while NATO collectively is producing less than 2 million annually, NATO officials said on Thursday. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that he was confident the alliance “will not lose” its unity when it comes to Ukraine.

Persons: Donald Trump, Defense Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Joe Biden, Austin, Trump, Biden, James O’Brien, O’Brien, “, ” Austin, Russia It’s, Mark Rutte, Vladimir, Putin Organizations: Brussels CNN, NATO, Defense, Ukraine, Trump, ”, NATO Security Assistance, Training, State, Eurasian Locations: Brussels, Ukraine, Iran, North Korea, China, Russia, ”, Europe, NATO, EU, Hungary, Riga, ” North Korea, Moscow, Korea, Kyiv, “

☆ Helene recovery could cost $34 billion. Here's who might pay for it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An aerial picture taken on September 28, 2024, shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Valdosta, Georgia. The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene across the southeastern United States could cost upwards of $34 billion, according to early estimates from Moody's Analytics. The Moody's report, released as Helene was making landfall last week, estimated that property damage could cost between $15 billion to $26 billion. And the resulting economic slowdown could cost $5 billion to $8 billion in productivity losses. Only about 6% of U.S. homeowners have flood insurance through either a private company or the congressionally funded National Flood Insurance Program, despite 90% of natural disasters involving flooding, he said.

Persons: Hurricane Helene, Helene, Mark Zandi, Zandi, Mark Friedlander, Friedlander, Joe Biden, Wiley Nickel, Florida Republican Sen, Rick Scott, Mark Amodei Organizations: Moody's, CNBC, Insurance, Flood Insurance, Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Disaster Relief Fund, Capitol, Florida Republican Locations: Hurricane, Valdosta , Georgia, United States, Florida , Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Appalachia, Washington

☆ Here’s what it could mean if Trump shut down the US Department of Education
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education,” he said earlier this month during a rally in Wisconsin. Previously, federal education programs were housed in other agencies. Ending the department may not eliminate federal education fundingFederal funding programs for K-12 schools that help support the education of students from low-income families and children with disabilities predated the creation of the Department of Education. Calls to abolish the Department of Education or merge it with another federal agency are not new. When Trump was president, his administration proposed merging the Education and Labor departments into one federal agency.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, “, I’m, ”, ” Trump, Kamala Harris, ” Harris, Jimmy Carter, Pell, Joe Biden’s, Frederick Hess, Marguerite Roza, ” Roza, Ronald Reagan Organizations: Washington CNN —, Department of Education, of Education, Democratic National Convention, National Education Association, Department, Education’s, IDEA, Civil, Joe Biden’s Department of Education, Obama, Education, American Enterprise Institute, “, Georgetown University, Brookings Institution, Republican, Labor, Republicans Locations: Wisconsin, Georgia, Israel

☆ A defense startup says it can fix America's ammo problem with China using a new low-cost cruise missile
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Go to newsletter preferencesSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. "This is not designed to go specifically and rigidly at one specific problem," Anduril's chief strategy officer, Chris Brose, told DefenseScoop. "We have designed Barracuda to be able to range across a series of targets — from ground-based targets to maritime targets to others." Anduril did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours by Business Insider.

Persons: —, Anduril, Chris Brose, DefenseScoop, Diem Salmon, Salmon, Palmer Luckey, hyperscale, Brose Organizations: Service, Barracuda, Business, Pentagon, US Air Force, Enterprise, Oculus Locations: China, Russia, America

☆ FAFSA problems are hurting students who need financial aid the most
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“You just feel terrible,” said Vanessa Hlavacka, a counselor for multilingual students at La Follette High School. High school ramps up supportOnce the issues with this year’s FAFSA became apparent, La Follette High School ramped up support services for families of college-bound seniors. Some La Follette students from mixed-status families have had success since then submitting the FAFSA, but others are still having problems. Students at La Follette are behind the national trend, but they have had more success filing the FAFSA in recent weeks. It’s a glitch that several other La Follette students have experienced.

Persons: Robert M, “, ”, Vanessa Hlavacka, Annie Hank Braga, La, Hank Braga, FAFSA, ” Hank Braga, it’s, Biden, ” Hlavacka Organizations: Washington CNN, La Follette High School, Federal Student Aid, –, Follette, Racing, La Follette, Opportunity, Department of Education, of Education, Republican, Democratic, National College Locations: Madison , Wisconsin, La, –

☆ Biden's threat to cut off weapons for Israel isn't the same as what got Trump impeached
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Israel has already gone into Rafah, but Biden characterized their current level of involvement as short of his red line. I’m old enough to remember when Democrats impeached another President for supposedly withholding foreign aid that had been approved by Congress. The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan watchdog, formally concluded that the Trump administration broke the law in withholding congressionally approved aid to Ukraine. Biden relied on a bipartisan coalition to pass a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. That said, while Biden will need bipartisan support to keep the government funded in September, he likely will not ask for more Ukraine aid anytime soon

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Sen, Tom Cotton, Trump, it's, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Cotton, Trump's, Joe, Li, e ach the, ena, tod, lea, Tim, Joh Organizations: Service, Arkansas Republican, Democrats, Business, Hamas, Congress, Israel, kr, unm, acc Locations: Israel, Arkansas, Ukraine, Rafah, Gaza's, goa, pau

☆ Federal Student Aid head Richard Cordray, tasked with FAFSA rollout, to step down
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Katie Lobosco | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —The head of the Federal Student Aid office, which has faced criticism for the botched rollout of this year’s college financial aid form, will be stepping down. The announcement of Cordray’s departure comes as his office has been under fire for problems with a new version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, released late last year. “If there was a financial aid director, or even a college president, that delayed financial aid on their campus for up to six months, the professional price that would be paid for that would be pretty steep,” Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, told lawmakers. Cordray’s tenureAs the head of FSA, Cordray oversaw not only the FAFSA but also the entire $1.6 trillion federal student loan system. It also sued Navient, one of the biggest federal student loan servicers, for allegedly processing payments incorrectly.

Persons: Richard Cordray, Cordray, Justin Draeger, Virginia Foxx, Miguel Cardona, Cordray’s, Rich Cordray’s, ” Cardona, “, Rich, Obama, ” Cordray, Pell, Biden, Trump, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren —, Navient, “ I’m, ” Warren Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal, Aid, CNN, Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Education, Workforce, National Association of Student Financial, Republican Rep, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democratic, National College, of Education, Public, Consumer Financial, Massachusetts, Corinthian Colleges Locations: North Carolina, Ohio

☆ It happened again: These 20 House members, mostly Republican, voted against millions in funding for their own districts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Ultimately, I don't control what the final language of the total funding bill will be," said Higgins. Higgins voted against the bill, despite securing $2.3 million in federal funding for an emergency operations center at the port in Morgan City, Louisiana. He was one of 20 House members — 15 Republicans and 5 Democrats — who voted against Friday's government funding bill despite securing so-called "earmarks," known officially as congressionally directed spending. Related storiesThe other 30% was contained in a separate funding bill passed roughly two weeks ago, but that bill contained far more earmarks, especially for House members. Nonetheless, 42 House members who secured earmarks voted against it anyway, 40 of whom were Republicans.

Persons: —, Clay Higgins, couldn't, Higgins, congressionally, Pramila Jayapal, Mandel Ngan, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Johnson, Pramila, Jayapal, Greene, Lauren Boebert, Brian Babin, Texas Gus Bilirakis, Florida John Curtis of, Florida John Curtis of Utah Mike Ezell, Mississippi Garrett Graves, Louisiana Michael Guest, Mississippi Diana Harshbarger, Tennessee Clay Higgins, Louisiana Trent Kelly, Mississippi Burgess Owens, Utah Mike Rogers, Alabama Chris Smith of, Alabama Chris Smith of New Jersey Greg Steube, Florida Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey Randy Weber of Organizations: Service, Louisiana Republican, Business, Pentagon, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, Democratic, Seattle Public Library, Getty, Republican, Republicans, GOP, Congressional Progressive Caucus, UN Relief and Works Agency, Louisiana, Alabama Chris Smith of New, New Locations: Louisiana, Morgan City , Louisiana, AFP, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Gaza, Washington, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Florida John Curtis of Utah, Mississippi, Utah, Alabama, Alabama Chris Smith of New Jersey, New Jersey, New Jersey Randy Weber of Texas

☆ Lauren Boebert brags about securing $20 million in funding that she voted against: 'Can't wait for the ribbon cuttings'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Lauren Boebert voted against a bill containing $20 million for the district she's abandoning. "Can't wait for the ribbon cuttings and to see these priorities come to fruition," she said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementEarlier this month, Rep. Lauren Boebert voted against a must-pass government funding bill that contained more than $20 million for the Colorado district she's now abandoning. AdvertisementBoebert was among 40 House Republicans who voted on March 6 against the so-called "minibus" — which funds vast swaths of the federal government — despite having secured federal funding for their districts.

Persons: Lauren Boebert, —, Boebert, Sleepy Joe, Nancy Pelosi —, It's, it's, she's, Ken Buck's, who's Organizations: Service, Republicans, Green, Deal, Green New, GOP, Rep Locations: Colorado, Wolf

☆ These 4 GOP senators voted to rip away millions of dollars in federal funding that they had secured for their home states
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Seventeen GOP senators had secured funding for specific projects in their home states in the bill. Four of them voted to strip all those projects out, and Sen. Tuberville voted against the entire bill. AdvertisementFour GOP senators voted for a provision on Friday that would have ripped away millions of dollars in federal funding that they had worked to secure for their home states. Known colloquially as "earmarks," the CDS process allows lawmakers to request federal funding for individual projects in their home states. Forty House Republicans did the same thing on Wednesday, voting against the government funding bill despite the fact it secured millions in earmarks funding for their districts.

Persons: Sen, Tuberville, —, Joe Biden, Republican Sen, Rick Scott, Scott, Deb Fischer, Nebraska John Thune of, Nebraska John Thune of South Dakota Thom Tillis, North Carolina Tommy Tuberville, Alabama Fischer, Thune, Tillis, nonbinding, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, — Chris Murphy 🟧, ake, hough Organizations: GOP, Service, Republican, CDS, Republicans, Nebraska John Thune of South Dakota, North, Democratic, ust Locations: Florida, Nebraska John Thune of South, North Carolina

☆ These 40 House Republicans voted against millions of dollars in federal funding that they secured for their districts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewOn Wednesday, 83 House Republicans voted against a roughly $460 billion package of bills to fund large swaths of the federal government. Forty of them did so despite requesting — and securing — millions of dollars in federal funding for a variety of projects in their districts. AdvertisementRep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee also voted against the bill, despite securing more than $12 million for his district. But Republicans weren't the only ones to vote against the bill on Wednesday, despite securing earmark funding. AdvertisementHere are the 40 Republicans who voted against the bill, despite securing earmark funding:

Persons: —, Lauren Boebert, Sleepy Joe, Democratic Sens, Michael Bennett, John Hickenlooper, There's, Tim Burchett, we've, Burchett, It's, congressionally, Tom Williams, bipartisanship, Nancy Pelosi —, Maria Elvira Salazar, Sen, Tommy Tuberville, weren't, Maxwell Frost of Florida, Mark Takano, — Maxwell Alejandro Frost Organizations: Service, Republicans, Colorado Republican, Green New, Business, Green, Deal, Democratic, Republican, East, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Data Engineering, Lincoln Memorial University, Getty, Infrastructure Law Locations: Wolf, Craig, East Tennessee, Knoxville, Harrogate, Kentucky, Tennessee, Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, Alabama, California

☆ Powell reinforces position that the Fed is not ready to start cutting interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty ImagesFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday reiterated that he expects interest rates to start coming down this year, but is not ready yet to say when. Rates likely at peakIn total, the speech broke no new ground on monetary policy or the Fed's economic outlook. "We believe that our policy rate is likely at its peak for this tightening cycle. He noted again that lowering rates too quickly risks losing the battle against inflation and likely having to raise rates further, while waiting too long poses danger to economic growth. That's slightly more aggressive than the Fed's outlook in December for three cuts.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Tom Williams, congressionally, Powell Organizations: Financial, CQ, Inc, Getty, Capitol, Federal Locations: Rayburn

☆ Watch Fed Chair Jerome Powell testify live on Capitol Hill before House panel
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell appears Wednesday before the House Financial Services Committee as part of his congressionally mandated semiannual testimony on Capitol Hill. "We believe that our policy rate is likely at its peak for this tightening cycle. If the economy evolves broadly as expected, it will likely be appropriate to begin dialing back policy restraint at some point this year," Powell said. Powell is likely to face a variety of questions during his two-day visit to Capitol Hill, which concludes Thursday before the Senate Banking Committee. Read more:Fed Chair Powell testifying to House on Wednesday.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, Read, Fed's Waller Organizations: Federal, Financial, Capitol, Fed, CNBC, YouTube

☆ Fed Chair Powell testifying to House on Wednesday. What investors are expecting
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, during a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on June 21, 2023. The past several months have seen a changing dynamic between financial markets and the Fed over the pace and timing of expected interest rate cuts this year. Markets have had to adjust their collective view from a highly accommodative central bank to one that's more cautious and deliberate. Central to the question of how the Fed acts from here on out is its view on inflation and how Powell expresses that. Powell will have to synthesize the recent trends carefully as he speaks first to the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, then the Senate Banking Committee the day after.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Nathan Howard, Powell, Quincy Krosby, He's, it's, Joseph LaVorgna, Steven Ricchiuto, Sharp Organizations: Federal, Financial, Washington , D.C, Bloomberg, Getty, Capitol Hill, Fed, LPL, CME Group, Banking Committee, Nikko Securities, Big Tech, Mizuho Securities, Market Locations: Washington ,

☆ 4 key things that will keep getting more expensive even as inflation cools
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But a recent government climate report suggests Americans could keep facing higher costs for certain things. The climate crisis will make energy bills, medical costs, and groceries more expensive. Inflation is continuing to cool — the Consumer Price Index, which measures inflation, increased 3.2% year-over-year in October, marking a decrease from the 3.7% reading a month prior. It added that "household consumers face higher costs for goods and services, like groceries and health insurance premiums, as prices change to reflect both current and projected climate-related damages." The report said that as a direct result of the climate crisis, Americans can expect "higher medical costs, raising health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket spending, and expenditures on prevention efforts."

Persons: Joe Biden's, Jerome Powell, Powell Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Energy

According to the Pentagon's most recent report on China's military power, Beijing has “denied, canceled or ignored” military-to-military communications and meetings with the Pentagon for much of last year and this year. In an effort to improve transparency and communication, defense leaders from the two countries were meeting regularly. He and other defense chiefs, Joint Chiefs chairmen and regional high-level U.S. commanders routinely traveled to China over the next decade, and Chinese defense leaders came to the Pentagon. The Pentagon routinely complained that there was little tangible progress in the press for greater transparency in China’s military ambitions and its burgeoning defense budget. But the lack of communications heightened worries about an increase in what the Pentagon calls risky Chinese aircraft and warship incidents in the past two years.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, “, Robert Gates, ”, Chuck Hagel, Hagel, China's, Obama, Trump, Nancy Pelosi’s, Pelosi, Newt Gingrich, Carolyn Bartholomew, Bonnie Lin, ” Lin, Tara Copp Organizations: WASHINGTON, Economic Cooperation, Military Maritime, U.S, Pentagon, Defense Department, Chiefs, Yuchi, Pacific ., Beijing, The Defense Department, China Economic, Security, China, Center for Strategic, International Security, Associated Press Locations: Asia, San Francisco, China, Beijing, U.S, Singapore, South China, South, America's, Taiwan, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Washington

☆ National Climate Assessment: 5 takeaways on the US climate report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ella Nilsen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“Climate change is affecting every aspect of our lives,” Hayhoe told CNN. Here are five significant takeaways from the federal government’s sweeping climate report. Climate change doesn’t cause things like hurricanes or wildfires, but it can make them more intense or more frequent. And hotter and drier conditions from climate change can help vegetation and trees become tinderboxes, turning wildfires into megafires that spin out of control. But it’s not happening nearly fast enough to stabilize the planet’s warming or meet the United States’ international climate commitments, the report explains.

Persons: Katharine Hayhoe, ” Hayhoe, we’re, Rick Curtis, Hilary Swift, Joe Biden, ”, John Podesta, Ethan Swope, Biden, West Virginia –, Scott Brauer, Dave White, White, ” White Organizations: CNN, UN, Texas Tech University, New York Times, ” White, United States, Bloomberg, Getty, Arizona State University, Rockies Locations: Barre , Vermont, Maricopa County, Vermont, Maui, Gulf, Aguanga , California, California, Florida , Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky, West Virginia, rainstorms, China, India, Barnstable , Massachusetts, Southwest, California’s Sierra Nevada, West

☆ Emails reveal how Amazon and Google tap friends in government to influence policies. Critics say there's too much 'coziness' with Big Tech.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

When you work as a Big Tech lobbyist, there's a good chance you're already friends with someone in government. In 2022, 82.4% of Amazon lobbyists and 81.3% of Alphabet lobbyists previously held government jobs, according to data from OpenSecrets. "Big Tech uses its special revolving door access to furtively push for rigged trade policies," Warren wrote. The emails are limited to correspondence with Amazon and Google lobbyists and do not include communications with representatives of other tech companies. Big Tech critics say this access to policymakers is not granted to the public or civil-society groups, and that's why Warren and others have called for more transparency.

Persons: there's, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Katherine Tai —, Warren, Tai, Andrea Boron, Mary Thornton, Karan Bhatia, Google's, Byun, Jillian DeLuna, Thornton, Bhatia, Kate Kalutkiewicz, USTR, Maria Langholz, Trump, Biden, Amazon's Thornton, Ethan Holmes, Joe Biden, Jonathan Ernst, That's, José Castañeda Organizations: Big Tech, United States Trade Representative, Google, Amazon, Amazon Web Services, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Spotify, Canada's, Demand, Prosperity, Reuters Locations: Big, Asia, China, Bali, Tokyo

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The United States will provide $425 million worth of additional arms and equipment to Ukraine for its ongoing fight against Russia's invasion, the Biden administration announced on Friday. The package uses the last of the funds in the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), a more than $18 billion fund that allowed the Biden administration to buy weapons from industry, rather than pull from U.S. weapons stocks. Biden, a Democrat, is calling on U.S. lawmakers to approve more aid for Kyiv. Since the Russian invasion in February 2022 the U.S. has sent about $44 billion worth of security assistance to Ukraine. Reporting by Mike Stone and Susan Heavey; editing by David Ljunggren, Jonathan Oatis and Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Joe Biden, congressionally, Mike Stone, Susan Heavey, David Ljunggren, Jonathan Oatis, Leslie Adler Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, L3Harris Technologies, U.S, Reuters, Authority, Pentagon, Air Missile Systems, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Biden, Democrat, Kyiv, Republican, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv, United States, Ukraine, U.S, Kyiv, Russian

☆ Pentagon launches UFO reporting form
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Kyla Guilfoil | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Think you have evidence of a clandestine government UFO program? Now there's a form for that. "We are exploring methods for how the public can do so in the forthcoming third phase of the secure reporting mechanism," he said. Kirkpatrick told reporters that his office has been tasked with gathering information on UFO incidents going back to 1945, according to a Defense Department transcript. Sensitive or classified information should not be included in the form, Kirkpatrick said, explaining it's meant as an "initial point of contact" with his office.

Persons: Sean Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick, that's, I'd Organizations: Department of Defense, U.S . Government, Defense, UAP, DoD, U.S . Locations: U.S

☆ China roughly doubled the number of missiles it could use to go after US bases in Japan, new Pentagon report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Department of Defense released its annual China Military Power Report last week. The report says China's has increased in missile stockpiles, doubling its supply of the DF-21 missile. The increase in what an expert called "Japan Killers" gives China greater capability to threaten US bases. The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force's includes a significant increase in DF-21 medium-range ballistic missiles. The new figures were released last week in the Department of Defense's annual China Military Power Report.

Persons: China's, —, That's, GREG BAKER, Tom Shugart, who's, that's, Shugart, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Roosevelt, Mandel Ngan Organizations: US Department of Defense, China, Service, People's Liberation, Pentagon, Department, Taiwan . Military, Getty, NATO, US, Center, New, New American Security, DF, . Navy, Japan, Self, Defense Force, Reuters, US Navy, Defense, RAND, PLA, Artillery, White, American, DoD Locations: China, Japan, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Beijing, AFP, Guam, New American, Korea, Soviet, Washington , DC

☆ China's fighter jet fleet is growing in size and appears to have made a big jump in capability, new Pentagon report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US Department of Defense released its annual China Military Power Report to Congress last week. The Chinese fighter jet fleet appears to have not only grown in size but, more importantly, also in overall capability. AdvertisementAdvertisementA new report from the Pentagon details China's expanding military power, including the growth of its fighter jet fleet, which appears to have also experienced a jump in capability. The Pentagon's report notes that China's fighter jet fleet has both expanded and apparently improved. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty ImagesExamples of China's fourth-generation fighter aircraft include the Chengdu J-10, Shenyang J-16, and Shenyang J-15.

Persons: —, Xi, Liu Dawei, they've, Matthew P, Funaiole Organizations: of Defense, China, Service, US Department of Defense, People's Liberation Army, PLA, PLA Air Force, PLA Navy, PLAN, PLAN Aviation, DoD, The Air Force, Air, Air Force Aviation University, CFOTO, Publishing, Getty, Shenyang J, 14th China International Aviation, Aerospace Exhibition, Pentagon, China Power Project, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: People's Republic of China, China, United States, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian, Chengdu, Shenyang, Chinese, Liaoning, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, Xinhua, Russian

To underscore the pattern, the Pentagon released previously nonpublic photos and videos of Chinese fighter jets intercepting US aircraft flying in international airspace. The images, which date back to January 2022, show Chinese fighter jets getting dangerously close to US military jets in international airspace in an attempt to “intimidate” them, the Pentagon said in a statement about the incidents. Some of the Chinese fighter jets came within 20 feet of the US planes, the videos show. Office of the Secretary of Defense Public AffairsThe photos and videos also show the Chinese jets releasing objects and projectiles, including flares. But the Pentagon’s efforts this year to engage with Chinese military leadership have gone unanswered, and US officials have grown increasingly concerned about the lack of military-to-military dialogue between the countries.

Persons: ”, Ely Ratner, ” Ratner, Austin, Adm, John Aquilino, Defense Lloyd Austin, “, Wei Fenghe, Nancy Pelosi, “ I’ve, ” Aquilino Organizations: CNN, US, East, South China, Pacific Security Affairs, Pentagon, PLA, Defense Public Affairs, People’s, Army, Defense, National Defense, Military, Security, China Locations: South, “, People’s Republic of China, Beijing, Taiwan

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