The New York Times looks at Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) efforts “to advance his national security and domestic fiscal policy agendas” as chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee.  

“With the help of members of both parties, he drew up a bill that would rein in escalating personnel costs and expensive ships and airplanes. It would give new authority to the military services to manage some of their own programs and purchases, in exchange for spending accountability. The legislation also would authorize and fund lethal arms for the Ukrainians, who have been under attack by Russian­-backed separatist forces, in a far more muscular program of American assistance than the current policy.”  

“With this bill, which is set to be voted on this week, Mr. McCain takes a run at initiatives he has been craving for well over a decade. He tackles accountability on spending, reforms for federal pension systems that have eluded the rest of government — and, when possible, an interventionist stance on nations that most vex him.”