{"id":35406,"date":"2015-12-07T13:30:38","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T13:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2015\/12\/07\/defense-hearings-more-isis-new-va-problems\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:36:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:36:11","slug":"defense-hearings-more-isis-new-va-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2015\/12\/07\/defense-hearings-more-isis-new-va-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Defense hearings: More ISIS, new VA problems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Friday is the deadline for Congress to complete a new budget deal or cause a partial government shutdown. Republican and Democratic leaders are already working on an omnibus measure that would follow spending levels negotiated earlier this fall, but keep an eye on the progress throughout the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both chambers are scheduled to stay in town until Dec. 18, but that could change if a budget deal is reached by the end of this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that as a backdrop, Defense Secretary Ash Carter returns to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss U.S. operations in Iraq and Syria, and the Pentagon decision to put additional special operations forces in the region to gather intelligence and go after Islamic State\u00a0leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Veterans&#8217; Affairs Committee members are expected to attack Veterans Affairs Department officials at their hearing on Wednesday over accountability problems at the department, prompted by a recent decision not to fire a pair of workers accused of gaming agency hiring processes and relocation expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<u>Tues., Dec. 8<\/u>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/hearings\/15-12-08-improving-the-pentagons-development-of-policy-strategy-and-plans\"><u>Senate Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen G50<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Defense policy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former national security officials Michele Flournoy, Michael Vickers and Jeffery Eggers meet with the committee to discuss the Pentagon&#8217;s development of policy and strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/veterans.house.gov\/hearing\/legislative-hearing-5\"><u>House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014\u00a0Cannon 334<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pending legislation <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will mark up several pieces of pending legislation, including construction and benefits proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.foreign.senate.gov\/hearings\/millennium-challenge-corporation-lessons-learned-after-a-decade-and-outlook-for-the-future-120815p\"><u>Senate Foreign Relations<\/u><\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen 419<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Business meeting<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will consider a series of resolutions and discuss lessons learned with officials from the Millennium Challenge Corp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/subcommittee-hearing-civil-nuclear-cooperation-pakistan-prospects-and-consequences\"><u>House Foreign Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pakistan<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will discuss civil nuclear cooperation with Pakistan and possible risks of such an arrangement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/subcommittee-briefing-and-hearing-drug-resistant-tuberculosis-next-global-health-crisis\"><u>House Foreign Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2200<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Tuberculosis<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Members of the global health subcommittee will discuss the threat drug-resistant tuberculosis presents worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/armedservices.house.gov\/index.cfm\/hearings-display?ContentRecord_id=51889F05-CC24-400E-B1E9-0EF46F03F020&amp;ContentType_id=14F995B9-DFA5-407A-9D35-56CC7152A7ED&amp;Group_id=13e47ffa-0753-47a7-ad5e-1ba7592015c9\"><u>House Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2212<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Global Strike<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The subcommittee on strategic forces will hear from outside experts on American and foreign developments in prompt global strike capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<u>Wed., Dec. 9 <\/u>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/hearings\/15-12-09-us-strategy-to-counter-the-islamic-state-of-iraq-and-the-levant-and-us-policy-toward-iraq-and-syria\"><u>Senate Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen 106<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>ISIS<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Gen. Paul Selva will discuss military strategy in the Middle East and the ongoing fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.foreign.senate.gov\/hearings\/united-nations-peacekeeping-and-opportunities-for-reform-120915\"><u>Senate Foreign Relations<\/u><\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen 419<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>UN peacekeeping<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will discuss current United Nations peacekeeping efforts and opportunities for reform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/markup\/markup-hr-1654-hr-3654-and-hr-4154\"><u>House Foreign Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pending legislation <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will mark up several bills related to combating terrorism and training U.S. allies in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/veterans.house.gov\/hearing\/fact-check-an-end-of-year-review-of-accountability-at-the-department-of-veterans-affairs\"><u>House Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Cannon 334<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>VA accountability<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson will testify before the committee about accountability rules and concerns within the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/armedservices.house.gov\/index.cfm\/2015\/12\/concurrent-receipt-of-survivor-benefit-plan-sbp-and-dependency-and-indemnity-compensation-dic\"><u>House Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2118<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Survivor Benefit Plan <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The subcommittee on military personnel will review ongoing issues with concurrent receipt of the Survivor Benefit Plan and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/subcommittee-hearing-fulfilling-humanitarian-imperative-assisting-victims-isis-violence\"><u>House Foreign Affairs <\/u><\/a>\u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2255<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>ISIS victims<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The subcommittee on global human rights will discuss humanitarian efforts to assist the victims of Islamic State, also known as\u00a0ISIS, violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/foreignaffairs.house.gov\/hearing\/subcommittee-hearing-year-review-us-policy-toward-changing-western-hemisphere\"><u>House Foreign Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2200<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Western Hemisphere<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will review emerging security challenges and threats in the Western Hemisphere from the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/hearings\/15-12-09-nominations_-lettre-camarillo-sparks-and-tidd\"><u>Senate Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Dirksen 106<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Nominations<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will consider the nominations of the new head of U.S. Southern Command, the new undersecretary for intelligence, the new assistant Air Force secretary for reserve affairs, and a new judge on the Armed Forces Court of Appeals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.foreign.senate.gov\/hearings\/the-political-and-security-crisis-in-burundi-120915p\"><u>Senate Foreign Relations<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 Dirksen 419<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Burundi<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will discuss the political and security crisis in Burundi and possible U.S. actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.veterans.senate.gov\/hearings\"><u>Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs<\/u><\/a> \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 Russell 418<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Pending legislation <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The committee will mark up several pieces of pending legislation, including health and benefits proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/armedservices.house.gov\/index.cfm\/hearings-display?ContentRecord_id=215CF5B6-8D6A-4188-94D5-B24EAD5CB6F0&amp;ContentType_id=14F995B9-DFA5-407A-9D35-56CC7152A7ED&amp;Group_id=13e47ffa-0753-47a7-ad5e-1ba7592015c9\"><u>House Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 3:30 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2212<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Surface warfare<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The subcommittee on seapower will discuss new innovations in surface warfare and challenges in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<u>Thurs., Dec. 10<\/u>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.armed-services.senate.gov\/hearings\/15-12-10-increasing-effectiveness-of-military-operations\"><u>Senate Armed Services<\/u><\/a> \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen G50<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Operations effectiveness<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former flag officers Norton Schwartz and James Stavridis will discuss ways to increase the effectiveness of military operations with the committee. <em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.foreign.senate.gov\/hearings\/independent-south-sudan-a-failure-of-leadership-121015\"><u>Senate Foreign Relations<\/u><\/a> \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014Dirksen 419<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>South Sudan<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State department officials will discuss political and security failures in South Sudan and options for the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Defense and veterans hearings for the week of Dec. 7.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":38778,"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":86,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"4":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"5":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"6":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"},"7":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news"],"primary_category":"pentagon-congress"}}},"categories":[15,86,88],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3347,1908],"class_list":["post-35406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-pentagon-congress","category-your-military"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"IWQB2KRXRRFL5LDYBONJFRP2KA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2015\/12\/07\/defense-hearings-more-isis-new-va-problems\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Defense hearings: More ISIS, new VA problems - Military Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Defense and veterans hearings for the week of Dec. 7.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Defense hearings: More ISIS, new VA problems\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Defense and veterans hearings for the week of Dec. 7.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2015\/12\/07\/defense-hearings-more-isis-new-va-problems\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Military Times\" 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