House lawmakers will debate defense appropriations legislation on the chamber floor this week, but the majority of military headlines on Capitol Hill will likely surround the confirmation hearing of Anthony Tata, the controversial nominee for the Defense Department\u2019s top policy post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tata, a retired Army brigadier general, has had to walk back a series of conspiratorial and controversial tweets since his nomination, including one calling President Barack Obama \u201ca terrorist leader\u201d and another accusing the CIA of wanting to overthrow Trump. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold an open hearing on his nomination Thursday but also a closed session to discuss problems surrounding his path to confirmation on Tuesday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Numerous committee Democrats have already come out against the nomination, but Tata could still advance to the Senate floor just on Republican backing. <\/p>\n\n\n\nTuesday, July 28<\/strong> Anthony Tata, tapped by the president for the top Pentagon policy job, faces strong opposition from Senate Democrats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":44069,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":8,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[8,160,36,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3424],"class_list":["post-37328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-congress","category-daily-news-roundup","category-newsletters","category-pentagon"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"4TH5B7RPGFAAFPLDT4E2A6SPQY","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/07\/26\/this-week-in-congress-controversial-defense-nominee-faces-scrutiny\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n
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\r\nHouse Natural Resources \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 1324 Longworth
\r\nLafayette Squares Protests<\/i>
\r\nOutside groups will testify on federal response to protests outside the White House last month, to include military personnel involvement.
\r\n
\r\nSenate Armed Services \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 106 Dirksen
\r\nNominations<\/i>
\r\nThe committee will consider the nominations of Air Force Lt. Gen. Glen VanHerck to be head of U.S. Northern Command and Army Lt. Gen. James Dickinson to be head of U.S. Space Command.
\r\n
\r\nWednesday, July 29<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nSenate Foreign Relations \u2014 9 a.m. \u2014 325 Russell
\r\nNominations<\/i>
\r\nThe committee will consider a series of ambassador and State Department nominations.
\r\n
\r\nHouse Veterans’ Affairs \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 H210 Visitors Center
\r\nState veterans homes<\/i>
\r\nVeterans groups will testify on how state veterans homes reacted to the coronavirus pandemic and possible improvements for the future.
\r\n
\r\nHouse Armed Services \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 2118 Rayburn
\r\nFort Hood<\/i>
\r\nAdvocates will testify on personnel problems at Fort Hood, to include sexual harassment claims made by women service members.
\r\n
\r\nHouse Foreign Affairs \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 2172 Rayburn
\r\nState Department Diversity<\/i>
\r\nState Department officials will testify on agency efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.
\r\n
\r\nSenate Veterans’ Affairs \u2014 3 p.m. \u2014 G-50 Dirksen
\r\nVA telehealth<\/i>
\r\nDepartment officials will testify on the expansion of telehealth services for veterans amid the coronavirus pandemic.
\r\n
\r\nThursday, July 30<\/strong>
\r\n
\r\nSenate Foreign Relations \u2014 8:45 a.m. \u2014 106 Dirksen
\r\nState Department Budget<\/i>
\r\nSecretary of State Mike Pompeo will testify before the committee on the administration\u2019s budget request for his department for fiscal 2021.
\r\n
\r\nSenate Armed Services \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 G-50 Dirksen
\r\nNominations<\/i>
\r\nThe committee will consider the nominations of Anthony Tata to be undersecretary of defense for policy.
\r\n
\r\nHouse Armed Services \u2014 1 p.m. \u2014 2118 Rayburn
\r\nCyberspace Solarium Commission <\/i>
\r\nThe committee will review recommendations from the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.
\r\n
\r\nHouse Foreign Affairs \u2014 1 p.m. \u2014 2172 Rayburn
\r\nAfrica coronavirus response<\/i>
\r\nState Department officials will testify on African governments\u2019 response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
\r\n
\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"