With Connor O’Brien, Lee Hudson and Paul McLeary Welcome to a special edition of Morning Defense , a daily newsletter exclusively for POLITICO Pro s that focuses on the Hill, the Pentagon and the defense industry. We're sharing this preview of our team's in-depth National Defense Authorization Act coverage and more as they track and report on the latest defense news. Are you interested in reading Morning Defense each morning? Learn more about a POLITICO Pro subscription on our website. THE BIG NEWS: Progressive Democrats are out with a fresh assault on efforts to increase the defense budget as HASC gears up for a clash this week over the size of the Biden administration request. A letter today from two-dozen Democrats to HASC Chair Adam Smith dings a $25 billion budget hike endorsed by the Senate NDAA and urges the House committee not to exceed Biden's $715 billion defense request. "Surpassing the President’s request by such a large and unwarranted amount should not be the starting position of the House Armed Services Committee, particularly when current defense spending levels should already be reduced," write the lawmakers, led by Reps. Mark Pocan and Barbara Lee. What it means: The progressive wing of the Democratic Party has long opposed more increases in defense spending, but it may be too late to stop the bipartisan momentum to tack billions on to the Pentagon budget. While Smith supports the Biden budget level, plenty of HASC Democrats have said they're willing to consider a larger topline. “I think it's pretty clear that there will be an attempt to raise the topline,” a HASC aide told reporters on Friday. The political calculus: The likeliest path to passing the NDAA is with broad support from Democrats and Republicans, which makes some topline boost likely. Republicans in the House who've made a bigger defense budget their red line are confident the slim Democratic majority means a defense bill can't pass without their support. MARKUP MADNESS: HASC is expected to churn through hundreds of amendments during its NDAA markup on Wednesday. Here are some other big debates to watch for: Weapon retirements: The HASC bill doesn't resist the Pentagon’s requests to scrap older ships and planes, but lawmakers are likely to push to keep a number of weapons, such as Navy cruisers and littoral combat ships or Air Force A-10 jets, in service. Centrist Democrat Elaine Luria of Virginia has said she’s working on an amendment to postpone retiring some of the Navy cruisers. The SASC version, meanwhile, blocks the retirement of A-10s and puts limits on the early decommissioning of naval vessels. ‘A significant factor’: The markup may also include debate about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Smith said last week he expects concerns about the planning for the pullout and the speed of Taliban takeover “will be a significant factor" in the panel's deliberations. Rep. Jim Banks, a HASC member who chairs the Republican Study Committee, has hinted that he'll offer Afghanistan-related proposals, including floating a select committee to study the issue. Other issues: The panel is also likely to field amendments that would remove military commanders' authority to prosecute sexual assault and other serious crimes and combat racism and extremism in the ranks. HASC Republicans have been critical of the Pentagon's efforts to boost diversity and combat extremism and have signaled they'll push proposals to bar the teaching of critical race theory. Lawmakers may also vote on whether to require women to register for a military draft after SASC approved the major change to the Selective Service System in its defense bill. HAPPY MONDAY! We're always on the lookout for tips, pitches and feedback. Email us at bbender@politico.com, and follow on Twitter @bryandbender, @morningdefense and @politicopro. | 
