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 Obama administration is striking back against potential congressional reductions to programs that would extend the life of the U.S.’s nuclear bombs. The House Appropriations energy and water subcommittee has reduced funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear modernization request by $1.16 billion, and the Senate has removed $732 million from the request, said Thomas D’Agostino, NNSA administrator.
A group of 100 Republican and Democratic lawmakers are urging the super committee to push for $4 trillion in deficit reduction, beyond its current goal of $1.2 trillion. Republicans in the group led by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and Rep. Mike Simspon (R-Idaho) say they’re willing to consider some tax increases, and some Democrats say additional reductions to the defense budget would help rack up the significantly higher target.
Lobbying efforts to push back on the Obama administration’s proposal to increase aviation taxes to reduce the U.S. deficit are in full swing, as evidenced by a pair of Nov. 2 letters to the congressional super committee and the White House. In one letter, the CEOs of leading airline and airfreight companies banded together to oppose the increases, particularly an administration proposal they say will triple security taxes by 2017.
