The head of the Senate Armed Services Committee, John Warner (R-Va.), and a chief Air Force critic, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), still are stalling the confirmation of former acting Air Force Secretary Michael Domniguez to be Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel. The issue is the new C-130J transport. About two weeks ago at the Dominguez confirmation hearing, McCain said the Air Force had not fully responded to Capitol Hill concerns about the C-130J even though the service, at Congressional direction, has begun to shift the J model to a standard military contract from a commercial one. On Feb. 28, Warner told reporters that Air Force leaders needed to meet with lawmakers to clear the air.
A legislative standoff has led to a lapse in a $4.26 billion small business innovation contracting program widely used by the Air Force and could spell the end of it entirely, industry sources warned Air & Space Forces Magazine.
