Short Takes – 9-2-25

Spectacular Drone Strikes and the Future Sanctuary of the U.S. Homeland. WarOnTheRocks.com article. Pull quote: “None of this should be taken to mean that a similar attack on critical targets, including military bases inside the United States or abroad, is out of the realm of possibility. It is not. But emphasizing these operations’ revolutionary nature without accounting for their complexities and the organizational prowess on display paints a misleading picture. For its part, Israel’s Mossad is among the most capable intelligence services in the world, particularly in the Middle East. And while Ukraine is much weaker than Russia, certain cultural and linguistic similarities combined with years of hard-fought experience becoming a world-class leader in the use of drones likely contributed to the operation’s success. And yet, both countries still spent years preparing and there was a lot that could have ultimately gone awry.” Does not address potential for attacks on critical infrastructure.

GOP leaders face rocky September with even slimmer House majority. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: “All of those hot-button issues will come as the House also presses forward this month on the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a piece of must-pass legislation that is not only one of the biggest legislative exercises of the year, but also a target for those looking to attach other priorities.”

House GOP funding chief pushes for stopgap funding bill into November. TheHill.com article.  Pull quote: ““My aim is to try to get to a negotiated agreement on all 12 bills,” he said, referring to the 12 annual government funding bills Congress is working to craft. “That’s what [Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine)] and I are trying to work together on, and what we think the best thing is to begin the process and hope these other things resolve themselves over the course of discussion.””

Military support to law enforcement is supposed to be temporary. DOD is making it a core mission. DefenseOne.com article. Pull quote: ““Is the money going to prevent some units from drilling? I don't think anybody knows that at this particular point in time,” said John Goheen, spokesman for the National Guard Association of the United States. “The numbers would suggest no, but this is something the Pentagon is going to have to answer.””

Was Von Der Leyen’s Plane the Target of a GPS Jamming Attack? LinkedIn.com article. Pull quote: “As usual, in this kind of incident, it will be difficult to understand what actually happened. At the moment, the complexity of this event and the lack of data make any explanation essentially speculative. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth keeping an eye on any new information that becomes available.”

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Polyether Polyols Production Industry: Removal of Affirmative Defense. Federal Register EPA final rule. Summary: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Polyether Polyols (PEPO) Production under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Specifically, for this NESHAP, the EPA is finalizing the removal of affirmative defense provisions associated with the violation of air emission standards due to malfunctions.”

International Space Station Advisory Committee; Charter Renewal. Federal Register NASA notice. Summary: “Pursuant to sections 14(b)(1) and 9(c) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), and after consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration, the NASA Administrator has determined that the renewal of the charter of the International Space Station Advisory Committee is in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on NASA by law. The renewed charter is for a two-year period ending September 27, 2027.”

Pipeline Safety: Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees. Federal Register PHMSA request for nominations. Summary: “The Department solicits nominations for membership to serve on the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, also known as the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC), and the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, also known as the Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC). GPAC and LPAC are Federal advisory committees that review and provide recommendations on standards affecting pipeline safety.”