Subject: POLITICO's Morning Defense: Welcome to NDAA Markup Day— Carter, Dunford on Capitol Hill, too — Trump to deliver foreign policy speech
From: Morning Defense <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2016 06:33:10 -0600

By Jeremy Herb and Connor O'Brien | 04/27/2016 08:30 AM EDT

With Louis Nelson, Austin Wright and Ellen Mitchell

TODAY'S THE DAY FOR THE HOUSE NDAA MARKUP: The House Armed Services kicks off its annual ritual at 10 a.m. of marking up the National Defense Authorization Act, which sets Pentagon policy and a spending blueprint for appropriators. The markup has lasted well past midnight in recent years, so when they gavel out is anybody's guess - but if you guess right, you can win the annual Morning D NDAA contest!

Last year, the HASC NDAA markup finished at 4:39 a.m., and the winning guess was 4:53 a.m. Asked when he thought the markup would end Monday, House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) told Morning D: "I don't care." So when will the gavel drop this year? Send your best guess by 3 p.m. to [email-masked]. The person who comes closest will win a mention in tomorrow's Morning D - and a year of bragging rights.

HERE'S A PREVIEW OF SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS AND DEBATES WE'RE EXPECTING TODAY:

- THE TOPLINE FIGHT: The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee says he has yet to decide whether he'll support the fiscal 2017 NDAA, citing concerns with the proposal's widespread use of war funds for other purposes and refusal to grant the Pentagon authority for a series of cost saving measures.

This year's bill dedicates roughly $23 billion in war-related Overseas Contingency Operations funds to fill a shortfall in the Pentagon's base budget, but keeps the administration's requested defense topline. The move would effectively shortchange OCO, And Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state calls it "an approach that puts our forces on the road to a fiscal cliff." Smith also plans to offer and withdraw his 98-page amendment to start a new base closure round.

- CONFEDERATE FLAGS: Smith also plans to push an amendment that would bar the military from supporting military educational institutions and academies that fly the confederate flag. The amendment is being offered in consultation with Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.).

- ULA, SPACEX ARMS RACE: "An amendment 'arms race' is brewing between SpaceX and United Launch Alliance ahead of the markup," reports POLITICO's Jeremy Herb. "Supporters of both companies on the House Armed Services Committee are drafting numerous amendments that could spark a messy brawl in the committee markup."

Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.) has an amendment allowing ULA to obtain 18 RD-180 rocket engines for competitive launches, while Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) has two amendments: one to penalize ULA for prematurely retiring the Delta IV rocket, and the other requiring certification launch contract aren't giving money to Russians sanctioned by the U.S. Both sides have more amendments in reserve.

- WOMEN IN COMBAT: Hunter also plans to push his measure requiring women to register for the draft - and may put it to a vote. And Thornberry warned members it could be a controversial vote in a Tuesday meeting, a source tells Morning D. 

- NUCLEAR WEAPONS: Democrats are planning a slew of amendments related to nuclear weapons, including two from Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) cutting $317 million in nuclear weapons spending and requesting a 25-year cost estimate from the Pentagon, and another from Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) seeking a 30-year cost estimate from the CBO.

- IMMIGRATION: An amendment last year from Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-N.M.) on immigration that passed during markup threatened to derail the NDAA on the floor. So what's he got in store today? "Gotta wait and see," he told Morning D Monday.

- SAGE GROUSE: It's back: Rep Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.) tells Morning D she'll seek to strip provisions in the NDAA that restrict findings under the Endangered Species Act for the Greater Sage Grouse. But Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), who has fought for the provisions, is confident they'll remain. "It's the logical thing to do," he said.

- PARENTAL LEAVE: Personnel Subcommittee ranking Democrat Susan Davis of California has an amendment to increase parental leave from 10 days to at least 14 days for members of the armed forces whose spouse gives birth. It also would provide 36 shared days of leave to dual military couples who adopt a child.

- STRATEGY TO DEFEAT ISIL: Rep. Seth Moulton plans to push a bipartisan proposal that would require a twice-yearly joint report on the political and military strategies to defeat ISIL. The Massachusetts Democrat also intends to propose widening eligibility for Afghans who assisted U.S. forces in the Special Immigrant Visa process.

- LCS FIGHT: As we reported Tuesday, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) intends to push an amendment curtailing the LCS program and requiring one contractor to produce the ships beginning in 2018.

LOOKING FOR MORE AMENDMENTS? Be sure to check the Defense Pro Document Drawer, where we'll be adding the text of amendments from the markup throughout the day.

HASHTAG ALERT: If you want to follow along with the NDAA markup all day and all night on Twitter, use the hashtag #FY17NDAA. We'll be on there, too, with the latest from the committee room.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY AND WELCOME TO MORNING DEFENSE, where we have a programming note: Connor O'Brien and Austin Wright will be taking over for the rest of the week post-House NDAA markup, with your regular Morning D correspondent off to do his best Fast Eddie impression. Keep the tips, pitches and feedback coming at [email-masked] and [email-masked], and follow on Twitter @connorobrienNH, @abwrig and @morningdefense.

FIVE QUICK TAKEAWAYS FROM TUESDAY'S PRIMARIES, via POLITICO's Glenn Thrush: Hillary Clinton seals it for the Democrats; Bernie Sanders searches for an elegant exit. And Republican Donald Trump's in trouble.

HAPPENING TODAY, NON-NDAA EDITION - CARTER, DUNFORD ON THE HILL: Yes, there's also a high-profile hearing this morning, with Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford appearing before the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee. It's their final budget hearing before the defense committees - and they could be facing issues being debated across the Capitol at the same time. They'll be back Thursday, too, to talk Mideast policy in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

ALSO TODAY - TRUMP FOREIGN POLICY SPEECH: Donald Trump delivers a foreign policy address at noon at the Mayflower Hotel, which was moved Tuesday to a larger venue. Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) hold a press conference on a new veterans' health-care reform bill. And the American Enterprise Institute and U.S. Army War College hold a panel discussion defense choices in the new administration.

WAR REPORT - FLOW OF FIGHTERS TO ISIL HAS SLOWED, writes The Wall Street Journal: "The number of foreign fighters arriving in Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State has declined to about 200 a month from as many as 2,000 a month a year ago, a top commander in the U.S.-led campaign against the extremist group said Tuesday. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Peter E. Gersten, Deputy Commander for Operations and Intelligence for the U.S.-led campaign, attributed the drop to progress by coalition forces and their partners on the battlefield, which he also credited for driving out some combatants who were already there."

- U.S. MILITARY USES 'ROOF KNOCK' TACTIC IN IRAQ, via Reuters: "The United States borrowed an Israeli military tactic known as "roof knocking" to try to warn civilians before it dropped a bomb targeting Islamic State fighters in Iraq this month, but a woman was killed in the attack, a U.S. military official said on Tuesday. The controversial tactic consists of firing a warning missile above or near an intended target, to give residents time to flee before the real strike.

"The Israeli military used such "roof knocks" in the 2014 Gaza war, but a United Nations commission found in 2015 that the tactic was not effective because it often caused confusion and did not give residents enough time to escape."

- PENTAGON WANTS $300 MILLION MORE FOR SYRIAN REBELS: The Pentagon is asking Congress to approve another $300 million to support vetted Syrian rebels, a spokesman said Tuesday. Last month, the Pentagon submitted to Congress a request to shift money within its current budget - called reprogramming - to "finance the validated requirements of the vetted Syrian Opposition Force," Capt. Jeff Davis said in a statement. But so far, he said, Congress is holding up the money. "We are currently awaiting approval from all four" of the congressional defense panels, he said.

INDUSTRY INTEL I - BOEING EXPECTS TO BUILD SUPER HORNETS INTO 2020s, reports our colleague Austin Wright: "Aerospace giant Boeing plans to continue building F/A-18E/F Super Hornets into the 2020s, a company executive tells POLITICO - a major turnaround for a fighter jet the Pentagon once wanted to stop buying this fiscal year. The decision to keep building the carrier-based jets follows years of lobbying by Boeing, the Navy and Missouri lawmakers determined not to allow the company's St. Louis production line to close.

"It's also the result of renewed international demand for the plane, with a deal to sell 28 Super Hornets to Kuwait in the final stages of the approval process. Then, there's the fact that the F-35 fighter jet, designed to replace the Navy's legacy F/A-18 Hornets and built by Boeing rival Lockheed Martin, has been delayed by years - forcing the Navy's F-18 fleet to pick up the slack."

INDUSTRY INTEL II - OSHKOSH EYES FOREIGN JLTV SALES, writes POLITICO's Ellen Mitchell: "A top executive at Oshkosh Defense says there is 'massive' international interest in the new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle the company is building for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps - though there likely won't be a foreign military sale until late next year at the earliest, after U.S. testing of the vehicle is complete. John Bryant, the senior vice president of defense programs for Oshkosh, told POLITICO Tuesday 'more than a handful of countries,' mostly in Europe and the Middle East, 'have shown serious interest' in buying the JLTV."

MAKING MOVES - GOLDFEIN NOMINATED AS NEXT AIR FORCE CHIEF: President Barack Obama has nominated Gen. David Goldfein to be the next Air Force chief of staff, succeeding Gen. Mark Welsh, who's set to retire in July after a four-year tenure, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. Goldfein, now the Air Force's vice chief, is a former director of the Joint Staff who has more than 4,200 flying hours on a number of aircraft, including F-16s. The nomination requires Senate confirmation.

SPEED READ

- In Europe, governments grapple with what to do with those who join the Islamic State but return home without committing or being implicated in an act of terrorism: The New York Times

- The U.S. embassy in Turkey warns Americans about a "credible" threat to tourists in the country: Reuters

- Secretary of State John Kerry, a Vietnam war vet, previews his trip to Vietnam next month and talks with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, Texas on Wednesday: The Washington Post

- The Senate Armed Services Committee clears the nomination of Gen. Lori Robinson to be commander of U.S. Northern Command, who would be the first female combatant commander: POLITICO Pro

- The defense secretary issues new policies aimed at curbing tobacco use in the military, including raising tobacco prices on military bases: Reuters 

- The Marine Corps' aviation fleet is in peril: Military Times

- The Navy is changing its tattoo policy to allow small neck tattoos: Stars and Stripes

- Oil companies' bet on Iraq's Kurdistan region has soured amid low prices, geology and the rise of the Islamic State: WSJ

- A judge sentences a veteran to one day in jail and then joined him in the cell for the night: The Fayetteville Observer

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