Jacqueline Klimas
Articles by Jacqueline Klimas
Obama slammed for delay in arming Ukraine
Lawmakers from both parties on Tuesday slammed President Obama's continuing refusal to approve lethal arms for Ukraine, saying Tuesday that U.S. credibility is falling as Russian-backed rebels gain ground in their fight against the former Soviet republic's government. Published March 10, 2015
Obama to visit Phoenix VA this week
President Obama will visit the scandal-plagued Veterans Affairs hospital in Phoenix on Friday after drawing criticism earlier this year for bypassing the facility on a previous trip. Published March 10, 2015
Suicide down among reservists, National Guardsmen: report
Military suicides for the first three quarters of 2014 are down among members of the National Guard and reserves, according to Defense Department data released Monday. Published March 9, 2015
Released Guantanamo Bay prisoners likely resume fighting U.S.
Some of the suspected terrorists released from Guantanamo Bay will rejoin the fight against the U.S. no matter what conditions the government tries to impose on them, the intelligence community concluded in a report last week that gives Republicans more ammunition to stop President Obama's push to close the U.S. military detention center in Cuba. Published March 8, 2015
Lawmakers work to end VA disability backlog, increase accountability
Congress says more still needs to be done to reform the Veterans Affairs Department nearly a year after the waiting list scandal was exposed, and despite a bill last summer designed to correct the bureaucratic flaws that led to veterans getting poor care. Published March 5, 2015
Ashton Carter: DOD must work harder on cybersecurity
Officials at the famously insular Department of Defense said Wednesday they often find it "awkward" to work with other parts of the government, but realize they'll have to try harder if they're going to tackle cross-agency issues such as cybersecurity. Published March 4, 2015
Defense Department pushes for end to sequestration cuts
The administration's repeated claims that America is safer now under President Obama are undermining his own efforts to reach a compromise to undo sequestration budget cuts to the military, lawmakers told top Defense Department officials Tuesday. Published March 3, 2015
4 in 5 eligible vets not offered outside Choice Card care: report
Only 1 in 5 veterans eligible for the Choice Card were offered the option to get private care outside the Veterans Affairs Department, according to a report released Tuesday by Veterans of Foreign Wars. Published March 3, 2015
Gen. Martin Dempsey: No slack left to Defense budget
Defense officials pleaded with lawmakers Tuesday to undo the sequestration budget caps, noting that continued cuts will lead to decreased readiness, more casualties of American troops and a lack of confidence among allies around the world. Published March 3, 2015
Lloyd Austin, CENTCOM commander: ‘We are making progress’ in Islamic State fight
The top military officer in the Middle East told lawmakers Tuesday morning that U.S. forces are making progress in the effort to defeat the Islamic State, but asked them to undo sequestration cuts to give troops more flexibility to respond to crises in battle. Published March 3, 2015
Americans open to U.S. troops for fighting Islamic State
Americans are increasingly open to putting U.S. troops in combat to stop the Islamic State, according to polling that could boost hawks pushing Congress to approve the broadest grant of force to President Obama to escalate the fight in Iraq and Syria. Published March 2, 2015
Republicans seek Benjamin Netanyahu speech tickets from boycotting Democrats
Some Democrats may be boycotting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech Tuesday, but tickets for non-members to get in to see the affair are proving to be a very hot item. Published March 1, 2015
Roger Williams wants Medal of Honor for Chris Kyle, ‘American Sniper’ hero
A Texas congressman introduced a bill Thursday that would ask the president to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL whose life was chronicled in the movie "American Sniper." Published February 26, 2015
IRS cites funding in failure to answer calls
The IRS answered less than half of all calls from taxpayers in the first six weeks of 2015, and the agency's watchdogs said that won't get better until they get more money to hire more staff. Published February 25, 2015
Congressional Budget Office feted, ‘dynamic scoring’ issue resurfaces
Lawmakers praised the Congressional Budget Office on the 40th anniversary of its founding on Tuesday, even as some Republicans are trying to drive out the director and change the way the independent office estimates the budgetary impact of legislation. Published February 24, 2015
Obama leaves al Qaeda war resolution intact, keeping Guantanamo open
The push for a new war authorization to fight the Islamic State group does nothing to change the 2001 fight against al Qaeda, leaving the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay open and meaning President Obama's successor could refill the prison he has rapidly been emptying. Published February 17, 2015
Ashton Carter pressed to address sex assaults in military
As Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter takes over a department plagued by budget cuts and increased threats to national security, lawmakers are urging him not to forget about the battle to end sexual assault within the military. Published February 17, 2015
John Boehner: Homeland Security shutdown over amnesty in Democrats’ hands
House Speaker John A. Boehner said Sunday that he is prepared to let the Department of Homeland Security shut down in less than two weeks and that Democrats would be to blame. Published February 15, 2015
Republicans question Obama resolve after underwhelming Islamic State war powers request
Congressional Republicans on Sunday questioned President Obama's commitment to defeating the Islamic State, saying he should have asked lawmakers last week for more military power in his war authorization to ensure U.S. victory. Published February 15, 2015
900 employees fired under new VA leadership
VA Secretary Robert McDonald said Sunday that 900 employees at the scandal-plagued agency have lost their jobs under his leadership since July. Published February 15, 2015