By Emelie Rutherford Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), the all-powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee (HAC-D) who swayed much of the Pentagon's spending, died yesterday in Arlington, Va., from complications following recent gallbladder surgery. He was 77. The 19-term lawmaker, a Vietnam War veteran, supported sizable defense budgets while chiding Pentagon brass to provide equipment for troops and fix troubled weapon-systems programs. He was known as a master of pork-barrel spending and for his ties to defense contractors, including…
Recommended
Trending
Congress Updates
House Appropriators ‘Concerned’ With JLTV A2 Delays, Shift Funds For Marines’ Second Supplier Effort
House appropriators have said they’re “seriously concerned” with Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) A2 delays, as their fiscal year 2027 defense spending bill shifts funds to support the Marine Corps’ […]
House Appropriators Uncertain Navy Will Award F/A-XX Contract By August
House appropriators said they are skeptical the Defense Department will award the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract for the Navy’s F/A-XX next-generation carrier-based fighter program by the most recent […]
House Appropriators Approve $1.07 Trillion FY ‘27 Defense Bill Amid Reconciliation Uncertainty
The House Appropriations Committee has approved its $1.07 trillion fiscal year 2027 defense spending bill, advancing a bill with a historic topline while uncertainty lingers over Congress’ next step to […]
House Appropriators Add Restrictions And Reporting Requirement To Battleship, Reject Cut
The chairman’s mark of the House Appropriations Committee’s (HAC) fiscal year 2027 defense appropriations bill funds the administration’s $1 billion request for the BBG(X) Trump-class battleship, but adds restrictions requiring […]