Based in Washington, Jen manages Aviation Week’s worldwide defense, space and security coverage.
Prior to taking on her current role, Jen was Aviation Week's Congressional Editor. Jen came to Aviation Week in March 2011 from Politico, where she covered the intersection of defense and politics. She also worked as a reporter and editor for Defense Daily, Inside the Army, The Other Paper and The Columbus Dispatch.
Jen received a Master’s degree in journalism as a Kiplinger Fellow at the Ohio State University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from the University of Michigan.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) and a host of small businesses are lobbying debate moderator Bob Schiffer to pose a question about sequestration during the Oct. 22 presidential debate on foreign policy. The issue of a potential $1 trillion across-the-board federal budget penalty came up briefly during the vice presidential debate. But it was not a major topic during either of the two previous debates.
In Virginia, the politics of defense budget cuts is in full swing, as the Republican governor and three Democratic lawmakers engage in a war of letters about how to handle looming budget reductions.
Capitol Hill may be quiet in the run-up to the November elections, but behind the scenes lobbyists are sparring over a proposal that would dramatically lower the amount the government can pay for defense contractor salaries. The fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee contains a provision that would lower the cap on compensation from its current high point of $763,029 to the same salary made by Vice President Joe Biden, $230,700.
