Congressional Spotlight 
Top News
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- Senator: IRS to pay $70M in employee bonuses
- Furlough song: Laugh or you'll cry
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- NASA engineer, 29, recognized for improving aeronautical testing
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
- NOAA meteorologist helps save lives one storm at a time
- NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women
- House passes sweeping $638 billion defense bill
- NIH tops list of best companies for baby boomers
- Latest postal reform proposal OKs 5-day delivery
- Wednesday federal headlines - June 19, 2013
Issa asks agencies for alternative sequestration cuts
The chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee wrote to 17 agencies requesting short-term ways to achieve savings instead of the across-the-board cuts expected to start today.
Automatic cuts will have to wait until midnight
Obama to put off start for automatic cuts to as close to midnight Friday as possible
FDA Commissioner: budget cuts mean less safe food
FDA Commissioner Hamburg says budget cuts mean fewer inspections, less safe food
Cuts imminent, Senate rejects stopgap efforts
Cuts coming: With time short, Senate scuttles rival plans to head off the automatic reductions
Sequestration is upon us
On this week's Bloomberg Government Capital Impact show, analysts will discuss sequestration and its impact on Congress.
February 28, 2013
Lew set to start at Treasury as budget cuts loom
Confirmed by Senate, Lew to start at Treasury a day before big budget cuts set to take effect
OMB directs agencies to stop most discretionary bonuses under sequestration
The administration issued new guidance late Wednesday detailing specific steps agencies should take as sequestration now is one-day away. Danny Werfel, OMB's controller, told agency leaders to place "increased scrutiny" around several personnel issues, including new hires, training, travel and conferences.
Sequestration treadmill picking up steam across DoD
The automatic budget cuts set to occur under sequestration will go into effect as a matter of law on Friday. But their full impact won't be felt until late this spring, long after lawmakers encounter the next budget showdown.
IT reform bill needs to 'beef up' people section, experts say
Rep. Darrell Issa plans to formally introduce the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act before the end of March. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held its second hearing on the draft bill. Current and former federal officials say the bill should place a stronger emphasis on project management and workforce issues.
As budget cuts loom, is government shutdown next?
With budget cuts imminent, Congress turning to avoiding government shutdown in less than month
Transition, sequestration, furloughs, and more
Career expert and author John Grobe, Federal News Radio's Julia Ziegler, and Federal Times senior writer Stephen Losey will discuss sequestration and other issues affecting federal workers.
February 27, 2013
House committee worried DoD, VA 'moving the goal posts' on e-health records
A House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on the decision by the Defense and Veterans Affairs Departments to scale back plans for a joint integrated electronic-health records systems dredged up longstanding issues with the two departments' EHR efforts.
House Democrat to offer bill ending automatic cuts
Rep. Smith to propose bill to end automatic budget cuts while also trimming federal spending
Senate confirms Hagel for defense secretary
Senate votes to confirm President Barack Obama's pick of Chuck Hagel for defense secretary
Sequestration: What does it mean for procurement?
Beth Farrell and Jim Schweiter from McKenna Long and Aldridge LLP discuss how agencies and contractors will be affected by procurement.
February 26, 2013
Military leaders say Congress must stop sequester
Military leaders say automatic budget cuts will undercut ability to confront global threats
US Senate panel backs Lew nomination for Treasury
Senate Finance Committee approves Obama's nominee Jacob Lew to be US Treasury secretary
Obama warns of risks over budget cut uncertainty
Obama warns that uncertainty over budget cuts already taking hold ahead of Friday deadline
Senate panel likely to vote this week on CIA pick
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says she expects the panel to vote later this week on the nomination of John Brennan to be director of the CIA.
Politics and the budget
Dr. Kenneth Gold and Dr. Susan S. Lagon, from Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute, discuss the political landscape and the budget situation on Capitol Hill.
February 25, 2013
