Defense

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla) demanded that the Army hold a competition now to replace the M-4 riffles used by soldiers rather than waiting until 2014.

Coburn said lives are being lost because the government has refused to provide more adequate weapons to those fighting overseas.

The Arizona senator said he was "puzzled" senior Obama officials had not been interviewed by investigators.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said President Obama has warned government workers about possible job losses from the sequester, but is not warning private sector workers.

“The Obama administration’s Office of Management and Budget issued guidance of its own to departments and agencies telling folks that they should prepare for cuts,” McConnell said on the floor. “So let’s get this straight: Government workers should prepare for cuts, but private businesses and their employees shouldn’t?”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said it’s “scary” that the cybersecurity bill is stalling.

“It’s scary that we’re not doing something on this bill,” Reid said on the floor Wednesday morning. “The nation’s top security experts have said a cyber 9/11 is imminent.”

Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said late Tuesday that by allowing billions of dollars in defense spending cuts, President Obama is turning the U.S. military into the equivalent of the 1962 New York Mets, "a team that set the standard for ineptitude in professional sports."

"The New York Mets in 1962 lost 120 out of 162 games," Bishop said. As an example of the Mets' ineptitude, Bishop recounted the time when Marvelous Marv Throneberry, who played first base for the Mets that year, hit a triple but was later called out for not tagging second base.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday filed a motion to end debate and proceed to the cybersecurity bill.

"The president doesn't want people reading about pink slips in the weeks before his election," the Senate minority leader said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) urged those working on the cybersecurity bill to come up with a finite list of amendments soon.

“I’m going to be very patient,” Reid said on the floor Tuesday morning. “But I hope that can be done soon. There’s not a lot of time left to tread water.”

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Monday filed several amendments addressing privacy issues to the Cybersecurity Act being considered by the Senate this week.

The amendments include provisions that address breaches of personal data, video sharing and online law enforcement. Another amendment filed by Leahy would increase cybersecurity research and development.

“Developing a comprehensive strategy for cybersecurity is one of the most pressing challenges facing our nation today,” Leahy said in a statement Monday. “In the information age, stronger privacy protections are also needed to safeguard Americans’ personal information and private communications in cyberspace.”

The Senate’s vote to proceed with the cybersecurity legislation means the Defense authorization bill will not be taken up before the August recess, pushing back the hopeful predictions made about getting the bill on floor by the Senate Armed Services Committee leaders.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) told The Hill that the Senate’s plan to take up cyber next week kills any chance of getting to the defense bill before the August recess, although he contended that there was still some hope for the defense bill until the vote Thursday.

The House and Senate take off for the month-long recess at the end of next week.