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 White House Office of Management and Budget has issued a memo regarding future Pentagon spending that ignores the maximum penalty under a deal negotiated by President Barack Obama and Congress aimed at reining in the federal deficit. The move is no surprise. The Pentagon’s top moneyman told investors last week that the military did not have time to reflect the penalty of sequestration — about $600 billion in defense cuts over 10 years — put in place by the Budget Control Act in its fiscal 2013 budget request.
DRAWING NIGH: House lawmakers are still trying to pass an omnibus appropriations bill before the end of the calendar year. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, says he wants to finish the fiscal 2012 appropriations bills so the panel can start dealing with bills for fiscal 2013 spending in January. The defense portion of the House omnibus bill has already been reconciled with the Senate version by the head of the defense appropriations subcommittee . “We basically just finished up our conference,” says Rep.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter cannot continue on its current path, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee said on the Senate floor Dec. 5. Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) cited potential cost increases on the fourth lot of jets, as well as recent comments by U.S. Navy Vice Adm. David Venlet, the program manager, saying the Pentagon needs to slow production of the stealthy fighter to learn more before the production rate increases.
