Stars and Stripes reports that “House Republicans plan to move a proposal that would restrain White House control over foreign policy planning, amid mounting complaints that the roles of the Pentagon and other national security agencies are being curtailed by West Wing micromanaging.”  

“House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry will offer an amendment as soon as next week to the annual defense policy bill that would slash the National Security Council staff to ‘well below’ its estimated current level of 400, give Congress more oversight over the council and subject the president’s national security adviser to the Senate confirmation process, according to committee aides.”  

“The changes are a response to a litany of recent complaints about how closely the NSC controls decision making regarding foreign policy and military strategy that traditionally was coordinated by national security agencies. Former Obama administration Defense Secretaries Robert Gates and Leon Panetta have been particularly outspoken about their frustrations since leaving the Pentagon about the amount of control exercised by NSC staff.”