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.
Speaking of Senate appropriators, the FAA continues to fare well in relation to the cuts suffered by other agencies. But it remains an open question as to whether the civil aviation agency will actually receive all of these funds. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved $956 million for the NextGen air traffic modernization program in fiscal 2013, a 2% increase above last year.
The Obama administration has delivered a long-awaited report asking Congress to return authority it yanked away from the executive branch in the late 1990s to approve exports of commercial satellites and components. But prospects for passage this year are bleak. While the satellite industry and other advocates for the change want it added to the defense authorization bill, Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio), chairman of a key subcommittee writing that bill, has raised objections. The House is not likely to move independent legislation on satellite exports before September.
In Washington, when the administration proposes, Congress disposes. That was certainly the case last week with NASA's $830 million budget request for development of a commercial crew vehicle to provide rides to the International Space Station. Senate appropriators cut the request by about $300 million and provided more funding for NASA's Orion crew exploration vehicle and heavy-lift Space Launch Vehicle (SLS).
