Democratic senators representing states that bore the brunt of the fallout from explosive nuclear weapons testing are seeking to pass legislation that would bar President Donald Trump from unilaterally resuming such tests.

The Senate on Thursday rejected, mostly along party lines, a bipartisan resolution to block President Donald Trump from conducting strikes against Venezuela as the U.S. continued to surge troops and military assets to the region. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

More than a dozen veterans in the House have accused President Donald Trump of undermining the apolitical nature of the military by telling senior officers that American cities should be used as “training grounds” to combat an “invasion from within.” #Flashes

ICYMI: In an overnight vote, the House approved an $831.5 billion defense spending bill that keeps a flat budget for the Pentagon, provides a 3.8% pay raise for troops and cuts about 45,000 positions from the civilian workforce. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

The House and Senate Armed Services Committees unveiled legislation Friday supporting a 3.8% pay raise for service members and restricting any Pentagon efforts to undermine aid to Ukraine or drastically reduce American forces in Europe. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

The sprawling bill will raise spending on defense and immigration enforcement while lowering funding for health and nutrition programs, including eliminating exemptions from work requirements for veterans who rely on food assistance.

#BREAKING: The House has passed President Donald Trump’s signature domestic policy bill, extending tax cuts, cutting spending on social safety net programs and giving the Pentagon $150 billion on top of its annual budget. Read more: www.stripes.com/theaters/us/... #Flashes

The Senate on Friday voted against moving forward with a resolution that would have reined in President Donald Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran, rejecting an effort by Democrats to reaffirm congressional war powers. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

A group of 12 military veterans serving in the House told President Donald Trump that they will support a resolution to require approval from lawmakers for further military action against Iran in a bid to claw back Congress’ power to declare war.

During congressional testimony Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at California Gov. Gavin Newsom and defended deploying National Guard troops and Marines to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying the military was "proud to do it." (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Army officials confirmed that the service is preparing to provide 20,000 National Guard troops to crack down on immigration, raising concerns among lawmakers about the “unprecedented” nature of the deployment. #Flashes

While service leaders advise it is too soon to tell how they will be impacted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's order to pare down the military's senior ranks, the Marine Corps says it will likely be affected the most. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

"This is going to be a challenge for us": Personnel chiefs for each of the military services told a congressional subpanel Wednesday they are bracing for the impact of civilians voluntarily resigning as part of the Defense Department's effort to trim its workforce. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

The global supply chain that the U.S. military relies on to produce weapons and equip troops, built up over decades, could be under threat as the Trump administration seeks to lessen American reliance on imports and bring more manufacturing back to the U.S. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee warned this week that tariffs levied against Australia and other security partners in the Indo-Pacific region were harming relationships needed to deter China. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Mourners carrying wreaths and flags filled the streets in Lithuania’s capital Wednesday to memorialize four U.S. soldiers who died last week during a military training exercise. #Flashes

Top members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday asked the Defense Department to investigate the Signal group chat in which Trump national security officials discussed plans for airstrikes in Yemen in the presence of a journalist. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

“If House Republicans won’t hold a hearing on how this happened IMMEDIATELY, I’ll do it my damn self.” Lawmakers demanded answers after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top Trump administration officials discussed war plans in a text conversation that included a journalist. Read more:

John Phelan, an investor who said he would make up for his lack of military experience with his business acumen, was confirmed Monday to serve as Navy secretary. Phelan will become the first person in more than 15 years to lead the Navy without having served in any branch of the military.

A top Navy admiral told lawmakers last week that shipyard workers were exempt from a Defense Department-wide probationary employee purge. Meanwhile at least 10 probationary workers were fired from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine:

Senior service leaders said that they will be significantly challenged by a stopgap spending bill that the Senate plans to vote on this week to fund the government through Sept. 30 and avoid a shutdown.

The resurrection of military shipbuilding in the U.S. will hinge on improving wages and benefits for workers at shipyards, Navy officials and experts said Tuesday as lawmakers raised fears of cuts to shipyard workforces. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., blasted the House on Wednesday for “skipping town on a Tuesday” and forcing senators to accept either a “half-assed” funding measure that will harm the military or a “catastrophic” shutdown.

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, responds to the Trump-Zelensky meeting:

Stephen Feinberg, the president's nominee for deputy defense secretary, declined Tuesday during his confirmation hearing to say whether Russia invaded Ukraine and deflected questions from senators about planned cuts to the Pentagon's civilian workforce. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

1/3 of the federal workforce is made up of national security personnel, including civilians who acquire military hardware for troops, provide medical care at military treatment facilities, maintain equipment at shipyards and provide warning on threats to the U.S. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

For 25 years, between 1951 and 1976, women service members were involuntarily separated from the military due to motherhood, leaving without separation benefits, counseling or assistance. Now, new legislation aims to make financial and symbolic amends. (from @svetashko.bsky.social)

One military spouse said she is being forced to choose between commuting 200 miles to her agency’s office in Washington or leaving her job of 18 years. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

The Senate has confirmed Doug Collins, an Air Force Reserve chaplain and former Republican House representative, to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

#BREAKING: The Senate has confirmed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary by the narrowest of margins, with the tie-breaking vote case by Vice President JD Vance. It was only the second time in modern history that a vice president had to be called to the Capitol to break a tie on a Cabinet nomination.

BREAKING NEWS | The Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday advanced Pete Hegseth’s bid to become President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, sending his nomination to the Senate floor over the objections of Democrats.

Pete Hegseth defended himself against accusations of sexual assault, alcohol abuse and mismanagement on Tuesday and vowed to “restore the warrior ethos” to the Pentagon as he tried to convince senators of his fitness to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary. The recap:

Pete Hegseth meets with supporters after his confirmation hearing 📸: Svetlana Shkolnikova for Stars and Stripes

Full house for Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing

Pete Hegseth, who has expressed opposition to women serving in combat roles, criticized the promotion of Adm. Lisa Franchetti to the first female chief of naval operations because, among other things, she had no combat experience. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

Thousands of people braved cold temperatures and the aftermath of a snowstorm Wednesday to honor and pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter as he lay in state in the U.S. Capitol. www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

A proposal to ban health care coverage of certain medical treatments for the transgender children of service members has become a point of contention as the House readies this week for a vote on a defense policy bill containing the measure. Learn more: www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

There are concerns in the Senate that Donahue will have to call Trump to justify his actions in Afghanistan in order to have the hold lifted. "It just seems like Donahue is the first in line to face a political loyalty test." www.stripes.com/theaters/us/...

Russia and China have for the first time started conducting joint operations in the Arctic, dramatically stepping up their activity in a part of the world where the U.S. and Russia share a maritime boundary. Read more: www.stripes.com/branches/coa...