Over the course of late summer and fall, Congress appeared to cool to the idea of forcing the Pentagon to award two KC-X tanker contracts—the so-called split-buy approach—in the face of continued Pentagon resistance to the notion. Now, however, the Press-Enterprise reports that Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) says he can “sense growing support for a dual source, particularly within the Democratic caucus.” Davis believes, “The reason is simple: You’d start building tankers sooner and create an economic stimulus in multiple cities.” The Pentagon maintains the split-buy approach would cost more; lawmakers have said it may be the only way out of a political quagmire. Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), chairman of the House defense appropriations panel and long-time proponent of the split-buy, was expected to try to resurrect the idea earlier this month with Pentagon leaders.
The Defense Department hasn’t seen an increase in domestic violence reports among military families since the new coronavirus crisis began, despite the COVID-19 pandemic reportedly causing a spike in such activity across the globe, the head of the Pentagon’s Office of Military Family Readiness Policy told reporters Oct. 29. However,…