Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), chairman of the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, appears to agree with Senate colleagues that the Pentagon’s proposed Tricare fee increases for military retirees needs an independent review. McHugh told Government Executive that he favors a “dispassionate” review, possibly conducted by the Government Accountability Office. McHugh’s counterpart, Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.), reached the same conclusion at a hearing last week. Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Texas) have introduced a bill in the House that would kill the proposal and change the law to prevent DOD from altering fees without Congressional approval.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…


