
The now ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has signalled his support for a $750 billion topline for the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2020 budget request, one of the highest estimates to emerge in recent reports. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), who chaired HASC from 2014 until the Democrats took back the House earlier this month, said the 750 number was “reasonable” to keep the Defense Department funded while accounting for growth during a Jan. 8 meeting with reporters…