How much money will it take to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, and who gets to decide? The assessment from Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell appears to contradict that of the Pentagon and U.S. allies. Congress has passed an $825 billion FY24 defense spending bill, but the plan to get Ukraine military assistance across the finish line remains uncertain. The U.S. Air Force would receive enough money to buy 51 F-35As in fiscal 2024 under the compromise defense spending bill lawmakers released. More than a dozen senators said Congress needs to raise the limit on the number of special immigrant visas the U.S. can process for Afghans. The increase falls short of what the Corps has indicated it would cost to fix the living facilities’ issues. In a State of the Union address, President Joe Biden said a temporary pier would boost humanitarian assistance. This is the first time since July 2023 that the Marine Corps’ top two positions have been filled by leaders on full duty status. Lawmakers kicked FY24 defense funding further down the road, raising fears at the Pentagon that congressional inaction may soon result in a 1% sequester. The Senate overwhelmingly rejected a resolution to block the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after Ankara approved Sweden's NATO accession. Load More