The House Armed Services Committee’s Panel on Defense Acquisition Reform approved its final report March 23 after a year-long review that included 14 hearings and two briefings, according to a committee release. The committee formed the panel, with Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) as its chairman, in March 2009 to conduct a “comprehensive review” because they felt the Pentagon acquisition process was “not responsive enough to today’s mission needs, not rigorous enough in protecting taxpayers, and not disciplined enough” in acquiring weapons for tomorrow’s wars. The panel believes its recommendations could save the Pentagon $135 billion over the next five years. In remarks, Andrews said that while there is “little commonality” across DOD’s vast acquisition system, there are some “common, overarching issues. (The panel’s report)
The Pentagon plans to use U.S. Air Force C-17s and C-130s to deport 5,400 people currently detained by Customs and Border Protection, officials announced Jan. 22, the first act in President Donald Trump’s sweeping promise to crack down on undocumented immigrants and increase border security.