Shaw AFB, S.C., plans to enter 85 members of its non-bargaining civilian workforce into the new National Security Personnel System on Jan. 21. The Pentagon still is embroiled in litigation over application of NSPS for union employees. New Defense Secretary Robert Gates told lawmakers at his confirmation hearing that he supported the NSPS concept and would review the program to see if changes needed to be made.
House lawmakers unveiled a new reconciliation package July 15 with $60 billion for defense, $290 billion less than the Pentagon has been seeking, a day after a Senate vote to advance the annual defense policy bill failed—developments that show the perilous state of the Pentagon’s ambitious plans for fiscal 2027.