Senate to vote again on defense spending Presented by Northrop Grumman

With Zach Montellaro, Connor O’Brien and Ellen Mitchell

CONGRESS PREPARES TO SAY SO LONG FOR THE SUMMER ... AFTER ONE MORE DEFENSE FILIBUSTER: The Senate is slated to take another procedural vote today on the defense appropriations bill, and Democrats are expected to once again block the bill from proceeding. The same scenario played out last week, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is holding a re-vote on the defense appropriations bill before leaving for the long summer recess through Labor Day.

As we wrote after the first blocked defense vote last week, the filibustered defense bill was the official signal of the end of the appropriations season on Capitol Hill. Now it’s waiting for a continuing spending resolution and then — the Pentagon hopes — an omnibus spending bill by the end of the year. In the meantime, the defense bill can be used as a campaign issue for Republicans to slam Democrats for blocking funding for the military. The Senate Republican Conference is releasing a YouTube video today ahead of today’s vote, criticizing President Barack Obama’s comments on the Islamic State as the “JV team” and being on the defensive.

— THERE IS SOME MOVEMENT ON THE OTHER BIG DEFENSE BILL, as conferees for the National Defense Authorization Act met for the first time Wednesday. Bridging an $18 billion funding gap will be the most challenging issue in negotiating a final NDAA, leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committee said after the meeting, saying the funding issue would be the central "stumbling block." The House-passed bill tapped $18 billion in war funding to fill a gap in the Pentagon's base budget, a maneuver the Senate didn't endorse.

"There is that need, there is not the money, and each of the four committees have taken a slightly different swing at how to handle it," said House Armed Services ranking Democrat Adam Smith of Washington state. Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) said other looming issues include the sage grouse, military health-care reform and changes to the basic housing allowances.

McCain told Morning D he’s hopeful the conference committee can iron out a final bill over the summer recess, giving the House and Senate a chance to pass the final version before the lame-duck session after the Nov. 8 elections. “I think we can,” McCain said. That would also potentially set up another presidential veto before the elections.

The Senate is also taking three votes on the NDAA today before the defense appropriations procedural motion: to formally go to conference, and on two “motions to instruct” the conferees on Afghan Special Immigrant Visas and troop levels.

HAPPY THURSDAY AND WELCOME TO MORNING DEFENSE, where we’re always on the lookout for tips, pitches and feedback. Email us at [email protected], and follow on Twitter @jeremyherb, @morningdefense and @politicopro.

HAPPENING TODAY — HOUSE DEMS RELEASE SECURITY STRATEGY: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer and other Democrats are rolling out their own security strategy, titled: “Stronger America: A New American Security Agenda.” Among the 10 Democrats listed on the media advisory, only Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts is on the Armed Services Committee, though other Democrats may also attend.

ALSO TODAY — WORLDWIDE THREATS HEARING: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and FBI Director James Comey testify this morning on worldwide threats before the House Homeland Security Committee. Strategic Command chief Adm. Cecil Haney and National Nuclear Security Administration administrator Frank Klotz testify this afternoon in a House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing on the Obama administration’s nuclear modernization plans.

On the Senate side of the Capitol, the Armed Services Committee has a hearing on cyber issues and national security. And off the Hill, NSA Director and Cyber Command chief Adm. Mike Rogers speaks at the National Press Club this afternoon.

WAR REPORT — U.S. AIRSTRIKES KILL PAKISTAN TALIBAN LEADER: The Pentagon on Wednesday announced the death of a terrorist leader in Afghanistan who led attacks in Pakistan — less than a week after President Barack Obama announced he was slowing the planned drawdown and will leave 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The Pentagon said a U.S. and Afghan airstrike on July 9 killed Umar Khalifa, described as the leader of the Taliban-affiliated Tariq Gidar Group, as well as four others the Pentagon said were Islamic State members in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan.

“Khalifa orchestrated multiple terrorist operations in Pakistan to include the January 2016 attack on Bacha Khan University, the September 2015 Badaber Air Force Base attack, and the December 2014 Peshawar school attack that resulted in the deaths of more than 130 children," the Pentagon said in a statement.

— 47 TROOPS SENT TO SOUTH SUDAN TO PROTECT EMBASSY: An additional 47 U.S. troops have been sent to the new Republic of South Sudan due to a "deteriorating security situation," the president informed Congress Wednesday — the latest in a string of troop increases. The notice to congressional leaders says the forces will "support the security of U.S. personnel" and the U.S. Embassy in Juba. The troops arrived in South Sudan Tuesday.

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THAWING THE ICY RELATIONSHIP — RUSSIA OFFERS TO FLY WARPLANES SAFELY OVER BALTICS, Reuters reports following a meeting between NATO and Russian leaders: “Moscow offered to fly its jets over the Baltic region with their transponders engaged, an apparent concession to NATO powers who accuse Russia's air force of endangering aviation by turning off the devices that allow them to be detected by ground radar. Moscow's envoy to NATO told alliance ambassadors that Russian pilots could turn on the cockpit transmitters, known as transponders, if alliance planes did the same.”

— U.S. OFFERS TO COOPERATE MILITARILY WITH RUSSIA IN SYRIA, reports The Washington Post’s Josh Rogin: “The Obama administration’s new proposal to Russia on Syria is more extensive than previously known. It would open the way for deep cooperation between U.S. and Russian military and intelligence agencies and coordinated air attacks by American and Russian planes on Syrian rebels deemed to be terrorists,” the Post writes, according to a draft text of the proposal. Secretary of State John Kerry is slated to discuss the plan with Russian officials today.

— ASSAD SAYS U.S. ‘NOT SERIOUS’ ABOUT DEFEATING ISIL: Syrian President Bashar Assad spoke to NBC News in an interview Wednesday, claiming Russia’s involvement will help his forces win the Syrian civil war within months and the U.S. wasn’t truly trying to defeat the Islamic State. “"They're not serious," he said.

A RACE FOR HOUSE VETS AFFAIRS POST? WALZ SAYS HE’LL SEEK TOP SPOT AGAIN: Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota is mounting a second campaign to become the top Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. Walz today sent a letter to fellow House Democrats announcing his candidacy for the spot in the next Congress and asking for their support. This will be Walz's second attempt to land the committee's top minority slot. Without receiving a vote from the full Democratic Caucus, he lost the post in late 2014 to Florida Democrat Corrine Brown, who temporarily stepped down from the leadership slot last week after she was indicted on federal corruption charges.

California Rep. Mark Takano, the second ranking Democrat on the committee, has taken over for Brown on an acting basis in accordance with party rules. Takano hasn't said if he'll seek a full term as the panel's ranking member.

FIRST LOOK — SENATE DEMS SEEK JORDAN INVESTIGATION OVER STOLEN WEAPONS: A half-dozen Senate Democrats want the Obama administration to investigate the alleged theft by Jordanian intelligence officers of U.S. weapons intended for Syrian rebels. In a letter sent to the president, shared with Morning D, the Democrats urge the White House to push Jordan to prosecute those responsible. “We recognize the valuable assistance the Jordanian government as a whole has provided in this fight, but we cannot allow this assistance to be jeopardized by corrupt officials who are not held accountable,” the senators write in the letter, spearheaded by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

A NEW GUARD IN BRITAIN — THERESA MAY TAKES OVER AS PRIME MINISTER: And one of her first moves was to appoint former London Mayor Boris Johnson as Britain’s foreign minister. Reuters writes that Johnson, a leading figure of the “Leave” campaign that upended British politics, “will have to address questions about the country's role in the world after its exit from the EU and he will inherit Britain's often difficult relationship with Russia.”

DOCUMENT DRAWER I — NATO MISSILE DEFENSE: The Center for Strategic and International Studies is out with a report today after last week’s NATO Summit, examining the alliance’s missile defense capabilities. The report urges NATO to expand its air and missile defenses to counter “low-tier Russian threats” beyond the current European Phased Adaptive Approach missile defense plans.

DOCUMENT DRAWER II — THE CAPTURE OF IDLIB: The Century Foundation is releasing a new report today that examines how Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime lost control of the city of Idlib. The report looks at the specific case how of Assad had “previously managed to rule it by entrusting security tasks to local proxies,” why that strategy stopped working and what it means for the prospect that anyone can construct a nationwide system of governance in Syria.

SPEED READ

— How a secret contract in 2001 opened the door for the CIA’s brutal interrogation program: The Washington Post

— The Islamic State says its “minister of war” was killed in combat south of Mosul: Reuters

— North Korea’s weapons tests are more than just political stunts — they’re benchmarks on a path to a nuclear weapons program: New York Times

— Japan’s emperor is reportedly considering handing off the throne to his son: Associated Press

— Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, considered a dark-horse candidate to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, says the U.S. “has forgotten how to win its wars”: POLITICO

— Aleppo is running out of food and water as Syrian regime forces advance: The Wall Street Journal

— France plans to deploy its aircraft carrier in the fall in the fight the Islamic State: Reuters

— Defense spending emerges as an election issue in France: Defense News

— Contractors applaud the Senate for trying to shake up defense acquisitions: Washington Examiner

— The F-35C will conduct tests off the USS George Washington next month: Defense News

— Raytheon and Kongsberg will build a production line in Tucson, Ariz., to build Navy missiles: Breaking Defense

— The Coast Guard says it can’t give the world’s largest Viking ship an exemption from a law that could risk its U.S. visit: Star Tribune

— Star athletes at service academies may now be able to jump straight to pro sports: Chicago Tribune

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