- Trending:
- mobile
- office space
- Archuleta
- furloughs
- sequestration
Senate News 
Top News
- VA chipping away at oldest disability claims in backlog
- What's the latest on phased retirement?
- New mobile tools gives agencies ‘giant innovation permission slip'
- Congress pressures agencies to speed up office consolidations
- Furlough Friday: Multiple agencies took advantage of holiday weekend
- Data breach puts DHS employees at risk of ID theft
- IRS replaces official in Tea Party controversy
- Commerce nominee sails through hearing
- Obama nominates Archuleta as next OPM director
- FedRAMP achieves another cloud security milestone
- Tangherlini to be nominated as permanent GSA chief
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB reworking financial system requirements
- Federal retirement funds temporarily tapped
- Friday federal headlines - May 24, 2013
McCaskill bill would add new rules for agency conferences
The Accountability in Government Act would require agency leaders to sign off on any conference costing more than $200,000.
USPS plans for workforce cuts as Senate expected to take up reform bill
This week the Senate is expected to take up legislation to reform the Postal Service. The bill could close post offices, end Saturday deliveries and return funds the Postal Service as pre-paid for retiree health benefits. USPS already has started considering how it would operate with a slimmed-down workforce.
OSC protection sought for VA whistleblower
The American Federation of Government Employees has asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate the case of a VA doctor who believes she was unfairly targeted by superiors due to her critical Senate testimony.
Congress returns to packed budget agenda, tight deadlines
Congress returns to session this week with a few short months to reach a budget resolution for the new fiscal year starting Oct. 1 and agree on how to avoid the automatic spending cuts of $1.2 trillion over the next decade that will be triggered Jan. 2, 2013, under the Budget Control Act debt limit deal. But don't expect much to get accomplished before the election, say budget experts.
Former GSA officials to appear before House committee, but not expected to say much
Oversight and Government Reform Committee subpoenas Jeff Neely, PBS region 9 commissioner, to appear. Along with Neely, PBS Deputy Commissioner David Foley and former Administrator Martha Johnson are on the witness list. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also is expected to hear from GSA Deputy Administrator Susan Brita, CFO Alison Doone and event planner Lisa Daniels.
Committees set for slate of hearings on GSA spending
Current and former officials at the General Services Administration will face a gauntlet of congressional hearings this week, following reports of excessive spending on a 2010 regional training conference and other programs. In an interview on In Depth with Francis Rose, former Virginia Congressman and Chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Tom Davis shared his insights and what to look for during the hearings.
GPO showcases documents from 1912 Titanic investigation
Shortly after the Titanic sank 100 years ago, the Senate conducted an investigation into in the disaster. Transcripts of these hearings are available in libraries across the U.S.
Budget Control Act unclear about how to make DoD sequestration cuts
BCA does not specify how those cuts would be implemented. One interpretation is every program is cut by the same amount, which would be by about 13 percent. The other interpretation of the act is the overall spending would have to be reduced by 13 percent and the Pentagon could pick and choose the programs to cut, said Kevin Brancato, a defense analyst for Bloomberg Government.
Lawmakers model latest cyber bill after DoD information sharing pilot
Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) introduced legislation to make sharing of classified cyber threat information easier between the government and the private sector. The bill builds on DoD's Defense Industrial Base pilot to share data about vulnerabilities. DoD plans to expand the DIB pilot to more than 200 companies in the coming year.
Sen. McCaskill gives GSA deadline for bonus program details
Acting General Services Administration chief Dan Tangherlini said the 'Hats Off' incentive program has been suspended. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who has promised an investigation into agency spending, said she's not sure GSA's actions are enough to change the culture.
Senate shows some comity, if only briefly
For a brief moment in a season of partisan rancor, the Democratic leader of the Senate and his Republican counterpart hit the pause button. As senators prepared to leave for their annual spring recess, dozens of nominees to important federal jobs were confirmed without debate or acrimony.
Analysis: Increased financial reporting by federal execs under STOCK Act necessary
President Barack Obama signed legislation Wednesday prohibiting members of Congress, the President and thousands of federal workers from engaging in insider trading. Under the law, lawmakers and government employees will be required to report certain financial transactions within 45 days of the initial trade. Those reports — which now are typically only available upon request — will be made available on agency websites and, eventually, on searchable databases.
Comparing 2013 budget proposals
Issues related to federal employees and their pay and benefits have played a starring role in the competing budget proposals introduced by the White House and lawmakers alike. Find highlights from how the proposed budgets would affect federal employees as well as how they've fared so far in Congress
Support grows for Domestic Partnership Benefits bill
Twenty senators — all Democrats — have signed on in support of the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act, which would extend health-care benefits to same-sex, domestic partners of federal employees.
IGs express concerns with Senate cyber bills
The legislative committee of the Council of the Inspectors General has weighed in on two Senate cybersecurity bills. The Cybersecurity Act of 2012 was introduced by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), introduced the SECURE IT act.
Prosecutors' careers 'annihilated' after misconduct in Ted Stevens case
Although they are unlikely to face criminal charges, the prosecutors in the Sen. Ted Stevens case have been slammed for hiding evidence and face a dismal career outlook, said a former federal prosecutor.
Senator blocks Interior's Salazar from receiving pay bump
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was on track for pay raise that would have brought his salary on par with other Cabinet secretaries, until Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) gave him a quota. Until Salazar each month approved six new deep-water permits to allow exploratory oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, Vitter would block the raise.
Controlling contract costs spurs more questions, few answers
A Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee subcommittee heard testimony Thursday on a seemingly simple subject: Is it cheaper for the federal government to employ its own workforce or hire contractors? But industry groups representing government contractors say the question is often more complicated than it might seem.
Senate bill seeks to reform Senior Executive Service
Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) introduced the Senior Executive Reform Act, which would link the General Schedule with the pay system for senior executives and let senior executives include their performance bonuses in their retirement calculation.
Senate confirms key positions in Commerce, HUD, DHS
The Senate confirmed the positions on Thursday, clearing a backlog of nominees by the Obama administration.
