Truman National Security Project

Truman Project Fellow Joshua A Tucker discusses the flaws in the electoral process following the defeat of legislations for background checks for gun purchases. Earlier this week, the United States Senate failed to approve an amendment calling for stricter background checks on gun purchases. Much has been made of the fact that close to 90 percent of the [...]

“I couldn’t sleep at night if I were a senator and did not vote for this.” So said Steven Rothstein, a leading advocate for the disabled, to the Boston Globe on the eve of the US Senate vote to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Apparently, 38 Republican senators decided they’d rather lose sleep than lose their [...]

Zach Colman and Ramsey Cox write on the amendment passed to keep biofuels in defense budget. The Senate approved an amendment to the defense authorization bill Wednesday that would restore the military’s ability to invest in biofuels. Sen. Mark Udall’s (D-Colo.) amendment, 2985, strikes Section 313 of the National Defense Authorization Act, S. 3254, which [...]

Luke Geiver reports on the Senate’s decision. The U.S. Senate believes the U.S. Department of Defense should have the ability to test and purchase advanced biofuels. The Senate passed an amendment, issued by Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., by a vote of 62-37 that allows the DOD to continue its development and work in the advanced [...]

President Obama faces the difficult decision of nominating a new CIA director to fill the void left by David Petraeus’s resignation last week. There are several candidates reportedly under consideration, including a few who served in senior intelligence positions during the Bush Administration. The pros and cons of each are discussed below. 1. Michael Morell:  [...]