Almanac of American Politics: on Homeland Security

Bradley Byrne: Push for Littoral Combat Ships, built in Mobile

Following an intensive push by Mobile business interests, Byrne praised outgoing defense secretary Chuck Hagel's decision to resume procurement of an updated version of the Navy's Littoral Combat Ships, relatively small vessels that are built at the Austal Shipyard in Mobile.

Dan Sullivan: Expect a protracted war against ISIS

Sullivan, as the only military reservist in the Senate, quickly made it clear that he would bring his hawkish views to the debate over defense issues. In an armed services hearing in March, Sullivan described Obama's view as an "almost delusional view of the world environment" when the president suggested in his State of the Union address that the shadow of crisis had passed in various threats, from ISIS's advance to Russia's aggression and Iran's nuclear program. In another hearing in May, Sullivan said that the president should level with the public that the war against ISIS is going to be protracted. It appears that such tough talk will be a standard part of Sullivan's rhetoric as he settles in on Capitol Hill.

Martha McSally: Allow servicewomen to avoid body coverings in Saudi Arabia

She drew national attention after she filed--and won- a 2001 lawsuit against the Defense Department to overturn a policy that required U.S. servicewomen based in Saudi Arabia to wear a body-covering Muslim abaya and head scarf. In an interview on CBS's 60 minutes, she criticized what she called other forms of discrimination in the conservative Saudi culture. "I can fly a single-seat aircraft in enemy territory, but [in Saudi Arabia] I can't drive a vehicle," she said.