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 chairman of a House panel on transportation plans to offer a new extension to the current Airport and Airways Trust Fund Extension Act today—giving Congress just one week to keep the FAA operating at full capacity. Although a week would be plenty of time to approve most of these kinds of extensions, it was not sufficient in July when Congress failed to agree, forcing a two-week partial shutdown of the FAA and construction projects around the country.
With the focus on Capitol Hill sharply pointed at deficit reduction, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is staking out turf as a defender of the Pentagon’s billions. Rep. Buck McKeon’s (R-Calif.) recommendation to the so-called “super committee” tasked with wringing $1.2 trillion from government spending is: “Leave us alone.” Rather than outline a figure of what defense hawks can live with, the armed services committee will be providing information about the effects of possible reductions.
A House panel wants to provide $12.6 billion for the FAA in fiscal 2012, increasing the agency’s budget by $233 million over fiscal 2011 and fully funding the Next Generation air traffic modernization system. And although it is a $485 million cut relative to what President Obama had proposed in February, legislation drafted by the House Appropriations transportation and housing and urban development subcommittee, any kind of increase from fiscal 2011 seems remarkable in an environment where deficit reduction has become the focus of Capitol Hill.
