Defense Budget Shifts Military’s Focus From Terrorism To China And Russia

U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis.

Virginia Mayo / AP

It may seem counter-intuitive and head-scratchingly odd, but Congress nearly always approves defense spending bills before the armed services committees — which actually oversee the Pentagon — vote on how the money will be spent.

Not this year.

The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 was enacted this month well ahead of a still-pending budget bill.