Joe Gould

Sen. John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who fought in the Vietnam War and against tough political adversaries, is facing the fight of his life against cancer.

A proposal to end the 2001 authorization of the use of military force and any operations conducted under it was stripped from a House measure to fund the Pentagon in 2018.

Senate Republican leaders are decrying Democratic obstruction of Pentagon nominees, but at least one is being blocked by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair John McCain himself.

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the Pentagon’s new No. 2, Boeing executive Patrick Shanahan, 92-7, but Democrats say they will continue to delay Trump administration nominees.

Congressional proceedings for Pentagon nominees this week will proceed as planned, despite the absence of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain for medical reasons.

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of July 17.

The U.S. House passed a $696.5 billion defense policy bill on Friday, but it exceeds statutory budget caps, setting up a showdown.

The House voted down a Republican proposal to bar the Pentagon from paying for gender-transition surgeries.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is advancing the nominee for the Pentagon’s No. 2 job, Patrick Shanahan, to a floor vote, likely next week.

There’s one less hurdle for a new military branch focused on space after an amendment meant to derail it failed Wednesday to get approval from the House Rules Committee for a public floor debate.