Congress starts its fiscal 2016 defense budget work in earnest this week, with officials from the Navy and Marine Corps on the Hill to talk about their priorities and the services' top enlisted leaders on hand to discuss quality-of-life issues.
Lawmakers will also debate budget requests for the Coast Guard and Department of Veterans Affairs, and House Armed Services
officials will begin their review of the president's recent request for a new authorization of military force in the Middle East.
Tuesday
House/Senate Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — Dirksen G-50
DAV priorities
Leaders from Disabled Veterans of America testify before the congressional committees about their priorities for the upcoming year.
Wednesday
House Appropriations — 9:30 a.m. — Rayburn 2362-B
Quality of life
The subcommittee on military affairs will hear from top enlisted leaders from the four services about the fiscal 2016 defense budget request.
House Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — Cannon 311
Cybersecurity
Committee members will review recent White House cybersecurity information-sharing proposals.
House Transportation — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2167
Coast Guard budget
The subcommittee on maritime transportation will review the White House's fiscal 2016 budget request for the Coast Guard.
House/Senate Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — Cannon 345
American Legion
Leaders from the American Legion will testify before the congressional committees about their priorities for the upcoming year.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2118
European Security
The committee will review Defense Department response to emerging security challenges in Europe.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2212
Navy budget
The subcommittee on sea power will review the White House's fiscal 2016 budget request for the Navy and Marine Corps, including testimony from Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research Sean Stackley and Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Kenneth Glueck Jr.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Russell 222
Nuclear security
Think tank experts discuss regional nuclear dynamics and national security implications.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Hart 216
Military health care
The subcommittee on military personnel will discuss health care recommendations included in the recently released report from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.
House Armed Services — 3:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2118
Future threats
The subcommittee on emerging threats will invite acting Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Terry Halvorsen to discuss emerging technology and threats.
Thursday
Senate Veterans' Affairs — 9:30 a.m. — Russell 418
VA budget
VA Secretary Bob McDonald is expected to talk about the department's budget priorities for fiscal 2016, echoing last month's testimony before the House.
House Judiciary — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2141
ISIS
The subcommittee on terrorism discusses the domestic terror threat posed by Islamic State fighters.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2118
Iraq AUMF
The committee will discuss the White House's recent request for a new authorization for use of military force against Islamic State fighters in the Middle East.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — Capitol H-140
Navy budget
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jon Greenert and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr. testify before the committee about the White House's fiscal 2016 budget proposal for the Navy and Marine Corps.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2118
Strategic Forces budget
Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Brian McKeon and U.S. Strategic Command Commander Adm. Cecil Haney will discuss the White House's fiscal 2016 defense budget request.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.