With the Senate now under Republican control, the leadership of its Appropriations Committee has announced a reshuffle of its powerful subcommittee chairs. “I am optimistic about working with this team and appreciative of the leadership they will provide the committee,” said Chairman Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). Cochran, who served as ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense panel in the 113th Congress, now also holds the SAC-D chairmanship in addition to chairing the full committee, taking over from Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.). Cochran also announced chairs for other subcommittees, to include Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) who now chairs the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies panel.
U.S. munitions have been expended at a high rate during Operation Epic Fury against Iran, prompting concerns that the Pentagon is eating into weapons stockpiles it needs to deter threats around the world. Yet the newly released $1.5 trillion defense budget request was developed before the war against Iran and…