Defense

The House is expected to vote next week on a bill requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report annually the number of people illegally inside the United States.

Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) introduced the Mandatory Operational Control Reporting and Performance Measures Act, H.R. 6025, which would also require an annual report on how much U.S. land is under DHS operational control.

Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) questioned why the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) spent $70.8 million for a faulty Army garrison in Afghanistan.

"It looks like we paid $70 million for a contract that delivered next to nothing — any reasonable person is going to ask why," said McCaskill, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, in a statement Tuesday. "Every taxpayer dollar spent in Afghanistan is a dollar that wasn't spent to build a school or repair a road right here at home, and I think it's critical that we really scrutinize what we're getting for the money we're spending on projects halfway around the world."

A group of senators on Monday demanded that the Student Loan Service provide military service members access to the student loan benefits that they've earned.

“Our brave military men and women — and their families — make tremendous sacrifices each and every day in service to our nation,” the senators wrote to Student Loan Servicing Alliance executive director, Winfield Crigler, on Monday. “They should never have to fight for full access to the benefits they have earned, including student loan repayment protections.”

Montana Sens. Max Baucus (D) and Jon Tester (D) told Senate leadership that they don’t want programs reducing military use of foreign oil to be harmed in the National Defense Authorization Act.

"Smart investments in homegrown energy sources grow our economy and increase our energy independence," Tester said in a statement Monday. "Our military's leadership in alternative energy will strengthen our national security and create jobs here at home."

Paul wants an agreement in principle to get a vote on his amendment affirming the Sixth Amendment.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said his Republican colleagues won’t “take yes for an answer” when it comes to taking up the Defense Authorization Act.

Reid said Republicans have been demanding that the Senate take up the defense bill that funds and sets the agenda for the U.S. military, and now that he’s agreed they have a problem.

“[Republicans] say they want to move to defense authorization bill, so I said yesterday fine, let’s move to it,” Reid said on the floor Thursday. “But my friends can’t take ‘yes’ for an answer.”

Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) said Thursday morning that he and others opposed to the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan will meet today to discuss possible legislation that would bring these troops home in 2013.

"Congress, let's get together and work on legislation to bring our troops home before the current timeline of December of 2014," he said on the House floor.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Wednesday night that he’d like to move on to the Defense Authorization Act by the end of this week.

Reid said that after the Senate finishes business on the Sportsmen’s Act, S. 3525, which would increase access to federal land for hunters and fishermen while also supporting conservation measures, it would then move on to the consideration of the Defense Authorization Act.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Tuesday that Congress should do more for veterans.

During his first floor speech since the election, Durbin called on his colleagues to pass the Mental Health ACCESS Act and the Veterans Job Corps Act.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Tuesday the Senate would hold a vote on cybersecurity legislation before leaving for Thanksgiving break.

Reid also said he’d like to move onto the Defense Authorization bill, but doesn’t expect to hold a vote by Thanksgiving.