Defense contracts awarded in Arizona fell by $1.7 billion between 2012 and 2013, buffeted by the federal budget sequestration, a drawdown of U.S. military commitments and a sluggish economic recovery.... Read more»
The House passed a defense funding bill Thursday that would keep the Air Force's A-10 fighter jets flying for another year.... Read more»1
In the face of a proposal to retire the entire A-10 fleet, Rep. Ron Barber said he would fight to keep the Warthog flying, calling the aircraft "crucial to our community, to Davis-Monthan, and to the country." While the Pentagon said cutting the plane would save $3.5 billion over five years, Barber said it would only save $700,000 "after having already spent $1 billion to upgrade" the attack aircraft. (with video)
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Sequestration—the automatic across-the-board cuts that started earlier this year—are a disaster for the American people. Unless lawmakers act, it’s going to be even worse in 2014.... Read more»
Fort Campbell is fighting a battle on the home front: automatic federal budget cuts — known as sequestration — set in motion after Congress and the White House failed to agree on other ways to shrink U.S. deficits.
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Defense Department furloughs that took effect Monday will mean about a 20 percent reduction in pay for the rest of this fiscal year for the roughly 8,400 department civilian employees in Arizona. The furloughs do not affect active military, but most civilian defense workers will lose 11 days of pay between now and Sept. 30 because of sequestration.... Read more»
The Department of Justice has an opening for what could be a dream job for many newly minted lawyers: serving as a special attorney in the Office of Enforcement Operations. Among other responsibilities, the new hire could be helping the Electronic Surveillance Unit review applications for wiretaps in major federal criminal investigations.... Read more»
An interview with U.S. Rep. Ron Barber (D-CD 2). Then, it's the Reporters' Roundtable with Dan Shearer, editor of the Green Valley News, and Sarah Garrecht Gassen, editorial writer and columnist for The Arizona Daily Star. Plus, the Weekend Watch with Matt Russell.... Read more»
The federal budget has dominated the policy and political debate in Washington over the past three years. During this time, both the underlying fiscal landscape and the broader economic context for the debate have shifted in very important ways, yet the debate has remained remarkably static. Most policymakers seem to be stuck in 2010, as if nothing has changed in the years since.... Read more»
Border Patrol agents may not face furlough days if leaders of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approve a Department of Homeland Security plan that would cut agents’ overtime pay instead. Rep. Ron Barber, D-Tucson, wrote to the ranking members of the Appropriations Committee Tuesday and urged them to act on the proposal.... Read more»
It’s Day 90 of sequestration—the across-the-board spending cuts that went into effect March 1, which the Obama administration predicted would be devastating and conservatives insisted wouldn’t be so bad. Three months in, it’s worth asking how harmful the phased-in cuts have been—although that depends on whom you ask.... Read more»
Interviews with Patrick McNamara of Inside Tucson Business, Penelope Jacks of the Children's Action Alliance, state Sen. David Bradley (D-LD10), along with U.S. Rep. Ron Barber (D-CD2), Councilman Paul Cunningham, and 'Ace' Thakore of Pointguardu.com.... Read more»
A number of Republicans are using misleading numbers when they say the Federal Aviation Administration should cut consultants and travel before resorting to furloughs that are causing airport delays.... Read more»
Both parties are putting political spin on the deficit reduction contained in President Obama's $3.78 trillion budget plan.... Read more»
Border Patrol agents would be willing to give up time-and-a-half overtime pay if it meant they would not have to be furloughed as part of mandated federal spending cuts, their union president testified Friday.... Read more»1
Border Patrol agents told House members and congressional staffers Thursday that this is the worst possible time to cut the agency’s budget as the country clamors for immigration reform that includes a secure border.... Read more»
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