There are light news days on Capitol Hill. Then there are days like March 3. Tuesdays are always busy on the Hill, as both chambers get back to work in earnest. But this one will put the national security and foreign policy beat at center stage with three high-profile events sure to garner headlines worldwide.

House Panel on AUMF

What's happening: The House Armed Services Committee provides the appetizer with a morning hearing that will examine the White House's proposed authorization of the use of military force (AUMF) for fighting the Islamic State group. The panel is slated to hear from Pentagon policy chief Christine Wormuth and US Central Command chief Gen. Lloyd Austin. Notably, as of press time, no White House aides or Cabinet-level officials were on the docket. That's a change from Senate hearings that focused on the issue, including ones that have featured Secretary of State John Kerry.

What to watch: Wormuth and Austin will be in a challenging spot, asked to explain and defend a proposal crafted by the West Wing. While the Defense Department and other national security agencies had some input, how comfortable — and able — will the duo be in explaining the legal intent behind the White House officials who crafted its intentionally vague language? How will a policy guru and military commander respond to likely political attacks from HASC Republicans? And can they assuage concerns from the White House's Democratic allies about the AUMF's ground-forces language?

Netanyahu Address

What's happening: In what might be one of the most controversial addresses to a joint session of Congress ever, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak to US lawmakers as nuclear talks with Iran hit a critical point. House Speaker Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, invited Netanyahu without contacting the White House or State Department. The administration of President Barack Obama and many congressional Democrats are worried Netanyahu will say something that could complicate — or end — the "P5+1 talks."

What to watch: Just how far will the Israeli PM go in criticizing Obama and the Iranian regime? Netanyahu administration officials are concerned the US and other Western countries are negotiating based on a premise that Tehran will, in a decade, be under new leadership that will be more willing to give up its entire nuclear program. His speech will come with a partial, at least, Democratic boycott. With former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading all 2016 presidential election polls, the speech could further erode the Israeli-Democratic relationship.

Carter, Dempsey, McCain

What's happening: The action-packed day continues at 2:30 p.m. when the Senate Armed Services Committee hears from new Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey about the Pentagon's 2016 budget request. The annual trek across the Potomac to the committee by the SecDef and CJCS comes a few weeks late this year, delayed by Carter's confirmation process, which was delayed by his recovery from back surgery.

What to watch: Carter will find himself in a unique role: explaining budget decisions approved by another defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, whom Carter replaced last month. How much detail about why certain proposals are being put forth again, after both chambers rejected them last year, can Carter provide? SASC Chairman Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has indicated that he is ready for the new defense secretary to be unable to answer some of the panel's questions. The odd timing will put the onus on Dempsey to explain to members why the DoD is essentially picking fights anew with lawmakers.

Share:
More In Defense News