Defense Secretary, Congress | featured news

Decorated Vietnam veteran Chuck Hagel was sworn in as U.S. defense secretary on Wednesday after a bruising Senate confirmation battle, and promised to renew old U.S. alliances and forge new ones without attempting to "dictate" to the world.

With a 71-to-27 vote, the Senate has cleared the way for Chuck Hagel’s confirmation as defense secretary, despite complaints from Republicans about his readiness for the job.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is telling Congress that if automatic budget cuts kick in on March 1 he may be compelled to furlough the "vast majority" of the Defense Department's 800,000 civilian workers....

Republicans have, for now, blocked Chuck Hagel's nomination to become defense secretary.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Saturday that there's a chance Republicans will filibuster former Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel's nomination as secretary of defense. "Sen. Hagel did not do a very good job before the Armed Services committee," McConnell said. "I think the opposition to him is intensifying. Whether that means he will end up having to achieve 60 votes or 51 is not clear yet." McConnell did not say how he planned to vote.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Friday he believes former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, who had a rocky confirmation hearing on Thursday, will be confirmed by the Senate as U.S. defense secretary.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he hopes the outgoing Congress will approve legislation ending the military's ban on gays but was unsure of the prospects for success.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates gave lukewarm support Tuesday to a White House-backed plan for a congressional vote as early as this week to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law against gays serving openly in the military. Gates indicated he'd prefer more time to study the sweeping change before Congress acts....