Latest news with #ElizabethWarren
Forbes
19 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Pouring Funds Into Untested Weapons Is A Recipe For Failure
Administration officials and leaders of the emerging military tech sector are determined to get rid of excess regulations that slow the development and production of new weapons systems. It is a reasoTrump administration nable goal, as long as the drive to deregulate doesn't eliminate rules and personnel that serve essential functions like preventing flawed weapons programs from going into full production before they have been adequately tested. Spending more won't make us safer if a significant part of the new funding goes to systems that don't perform as advertised, are difficult to maintain, or are not useful for the kinds of conflicts the U.S. military is likely to face in the coming period. Unfortunately, the administration seems to be doing just that, announcing that it will cut staffing at the Pentagon's Independent Office of Testing and Evaluation (IOT&E) in half. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has spoken out against the move: 'How is it 'efficient' to gut the office responsible for testing our equipment and making sure it's safe for servicemembers to use?' Warren said. 'This dangerous decision should be immediately reversed.' An analysis by the nonpartisan Taxpayers for Common Sense concurred with Sen. Warren's assessment: 'If the end result of this directive is to speed major weapons programs into the field before they're adequately tested, then the $300 million in savings identified by the [adminstration's executive] The independent testing office was created by Congress in 1983 The basis of its independence was the fact that it did not report to any of the military services, which are often too invested in new systems to assess them objectively. The office has earned its keep over the years by producing detailed, unbiased analyses of the cost and performance of major weapons systems like the F-35 combat aircraft. The testing unit's assessments have been invaluable to members of Congress and the media in identifying problems with weapons in the development phase, thereby providing a chance to fix problems early in the process, before they get out of control. At a time when the Pentagon budget is on the verge of hitting $1 trillion per year, and ambitious new initiatives like Golden Dome and the F-47 combat aircraft are scheduled to get huge infusions of cash, independent testing is more important than ever. Not all regulations represent unnecessary bureaucratic interference, as some in the Pentagon and industry seem to believe. The independent testing office is an example of an regulatory unit that can save taxpayers money and put more reliable weapons systems in the hands of the troops. This is not to say that there should be no effort to streamline the Pentagon's weapons buying process. There are no doubt a significant number of regulations that require useless paper work that slows down the development process. But distinguishing unnecessary regulations from essential ones would involve a level of patience and careful analysis that has yet to be exhibited by the administration or its Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Most Americans have never heard of the Pentagon's testing office, but if it is weakened they could pay a high price in wasted tax dollars and dysfunctional weapons systems. Not only should the office be scaled back, it should be strengthened to monitor the flood of new weapons programs in the pipeline, especially complex systems driven by artificial intelligence, which could cause serious damage if they are not developed with adequate scrutiny.
New York Post
a day ago
- Business
- New York Post
Sen. Elizabeth Warren sides with Trump's call to eliminate debt limit: ‘Should be scrapped'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said on Friday she agrees with President Donald Trump's call to eliminate the debt limit, urging bipartisan action to scrap it permanently. In a post on X, Warren wrote: '@realDonaldTrump and I agree: the debt limit should be scrapped to prevent an economic catastrophe.' 'Let's pass a bipartisan bill and get rid of it forever,' she added. The senator also said 'jacking up the debt limit by $4 trillion to fund more tax breaks for billionaires is an outrage,' in an attack on a GOP-backed tax bill to enact Trump's priorities. Warren's post cited comments Trump made at a news conference earlier on Friday, when he referenced her past support for eliminating the debt limit and said he 'always agreed with her' on the issue, 'She wanted to see it terminated, gotten rid of not being voted on every five years or 10 years, and the reason was because it's so catastrophic for our country,' Trump said. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said 'the debt limit should be scrapped to prevent an economic catastrophe.' Getty Images for Families Over Billionaires The debt limit was last suspended by Congress in the summer of 2023 as part of a bipartisan bill reached between Republican leadership and former President Joe Biden, pushing off the threat of national default through January of this year, when the debt limit was reinstated at more than $36 trillion. The Treasury Department said in January that the government would need to implement 'extraordinary measures' to prevent it from defaulting on its debt. Earlier this month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on Congress to raise the debt ceiling by mid-July to prevent the government from defaulting, warning that the country is on track to run out of money to pay its bills as early as August without congressional action. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the US Steel Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant on May 30, 2025. AP 'A failure to suspend or increase the debt limit would wreak havoc on our financial system and diminish America's security and global leadership position,' Bessent wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. 'Prior episodes have shown that waiting until the last minute to suspend or increase the debt limit can have serious adverse consequences for financial markets, businesses and the federal government.' Republicans want to raise the debt ceiling as part of a broader package, but intra-party debate remains over issues such as tax changes.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Nvidia Faces Bipartisan Concern Over Chinese Facility Report
Republican Senator Jim Banks and Democrat Elizabeth Warren are demanding answers from Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang on his firm's reported plans to open a research facility in Shanghai, saying the decision 'raises significant national security and economic security concerns.' Banks and Warren were reacting to a Financial Times report that Nvidia is opening a research and development center in the Chinese city. The news organization, citing people with knowledge of the matter, said the facility would be used for a potential expansion as well as existing employees and that the company is advertising to hire artificial intelligence talent in China.
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Epoch Times
Senators Say Nvidia's Shanghai Expansion Is a Serious National Security Risk
Sens. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are seeking answers from Nvidia about the AI chip company's planned facility expansion in China. In a May 28
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FAA extending program allowing Boeing to perform tasks on agency's behalf
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Thursday it would renew a program that allows Boeing to perform tasks on behalf of the agency for three years. Boeing's Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) will become effective on June 1. 'Before making the decision, the FAA closely monitored specific criteria and saw improvements in most areas. Criteria included implementing policies prohibiting interference with ODA unit members; assessing the ODA unit's ability to effectively self-audit and ensure follow-through of post-audit activities; and monitoring the ODA unit's ability to complete projects independently,' the FAA said in a statement announcing the agreement. 'The FAA will continue to closely monitor Boeing's performance throughout its renewal period,' it added. The move follows months of scrutiny due to concerns about the aviation manufacturer's safety standards after a midair accident took place on a Boeing 737 Max 9 last year. A door on an Alaska Airlines flight flew open, and a later investigation revealed the incident was caused by the absence of four missing bolts. Since then, whistleblowers have stepped forward alleging the company prioritized speed over quality in production stages. The FAA said it would continue 'aggressive oversight' of Boeing under the renewed program and opted to extend ODA for three years instead of the proposed five-year agreement. 'We remain committed to working under the agency's detailed and rigorous oversight,' a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement. 'We have taken purposeful steps to strengthen our ODA program over the past three years in alignment with FAA requirements, and we will continue those improvements.' In May, the Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped its case against Boeing after the company agreed to a deal to resolve two 737 Max plane crashes in 2018 and 2019, respectively, killing 346 people. Under the terms, Boeing would pay or invest more than $1.1 billion, including an additional $445 million for the crash victims' families. However, senators say the company should be held to a higher standard. 'Whistleblowers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have indicated that a dysfunctional safety culture persists at the company, even as Boeing executives evade blame for the company's failures while pocketing millions in pay and bonuses,' Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi before the deal was complete. They said 'manufacturing errors and defects in Boeing aircraft are not one-offs.' Despite criticism of the company's culture and handling of the fatal crashes, DOJ officials have lauded their deal with Boeing. 'Ultimately, in applying the facts, the law, and Department policy, we are confident that this resolution is the most just outcome with practical benefits,' a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement to The Associated Press. 'Nothing will diminish the victims' losses, but this resolution holds Boeing financially accountable, provides finality and compensation for the families and makes an impact for the safety of future air travelers.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
