Budget/Appropriations

Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), the chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, has proposed legislation that would exempt veterans' health programs from any of the required $600 billion in sequestration cuts required this year under the Budget Control Act.

H.R. 3895, the Protect VA Healthcare Act, was introduced after Miller tried to get Obama administration officials to confirm that they would spare VA health programs from any of the cuts, which are required after the supercommittee failed last year to reach an agreement to trim federal spending.

The GOP senators want to prevent $500 billion in automatic defense cuts set to begin in January 2013.

Sen. McCain said the nation's defense should not be compromised by “a domestic issue such as tax increases."

A specialized corps of defense lobbyists is springing into action ahead of President Obama’s expected request for a new round of military base closures. 

Five Republican senators will release their plan Thursday morning to stop as much as $500 billion in automatic defense cuts.

Lawmakers from both parties are signaling they will do everything in their power to stop base closures.

Rep. Barney Frank and other liberal Democrats said the $487 billion in cuts doesn’t go far enough.

Troop reductions, base closures, healthcare and future automatic cuts promise to spark congressional battles over the Pentagon spending plan.

Defense Secretary Panetta’s announcement will ignite a battle in the halls of Congress and the presidential campaign.

To avoid $500 billion in defense cuts, the Democrat predicts Republicans will agree to some tax hikes.