Hunter is joined by Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), the committee’s ranking minority member, in urging that Congress shine more light on how the Pentagon arrives at its conclusions in its Quadrennial Defense Reviews. The latest such QDR is in its final stages now; all signs are that it will bring enormous changes in US policy, force structure, and organization. House panel members believe their CDR will complement the QDR, providing more information about service needs and threats faced. They say it’s a totally bipartisan effort with enormous potential. At a Sept. 21 hearing, Skelton said that the panel’s CDR “could be the pole star of what we do in this Congress.”
President Donald Trump signed legislation reopening the federal government late Nov. 12, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The move sets the stage for tens of thousands of defense civilians to return to work and guarantees troops will be paid in a few days’ time.
