Senate News 
Top News
- Data breach puts DHS workers at risk of ID theft
- DoD to pursue commercial alternative to VA's VistA system
- Obama to nominate Tangherlini as GSA administrator
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- House GOP panel moves on deep budget cuts
- OMB fuels synergy between mobile, open data
- IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong'
- OMB reworking financial system requirements to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- Retirement funds temporarily tapped to avoid debt limit default
- VanRoekel to lead OMB management team
- SBA starting new lending program for veterans
- New Apple devices cleared to join DoD IT networks
- Bonuses under fire at GSA, other agencies
- Wednesday federal headlines - May 22, 2013
House OKs GOP budget plan, including pay freeze extension, pension changes
After rejecting a bipartisan compromise and President Obama's budget Wednesday, the House prepares to vote on a Republican plan that calls for an extension of the federal pay freeze through 2015, increased federal retirement contributions and a reduction of the federal workforce by 10 percent.
House ready to OK GOP budget, rejects rival plans
After rejecting a bipartisan compromise and President Obama's budget Wednesday, the House prepares to vote on a Republican plan that calls for an extension of the federal pay freeze through 2015, increased federal retirement contributions and a reduction of the federal workforce by 10 percent.
DoD lacks enough information to stop cyber attacks
The Pentagon still is responding to major cyber attacks on the nation after the fact, the military's top cyber official said Tuesday. It would rather stop them before they succeed.
House Oversight FISMA bill envisions beefed-up OMB role
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee unveiled a bill to overhaul a decade-old law detailing how federal agencies protect their computer networks from cybersecurity threats. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chairman of the committee, told Federal News Radio the Office of Management and Budget is better poised to be a "fair arbitrator" than the Homeland Security Department.
Union objects to Postal Service plan to withdraw from FEHBP
The Postal Service is on Capitol Hill today pitching its strategy to withdraw employees from the federal health insurance program.
Bill will propose combining Energy, EPA into one agency
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is introducing legislation this week to consolidate the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency into a single agency.
Analysis: STOCK Act to increase reporting burden on senior execs
The general counsel for the Senior Executives Association says the STOCK Act will increase the reporting burden on the federal government's top managers.
DARPA: DoD 'limited' in cyber defense capabilities
Staying ahead of evolving cyber threats means developing technology and people, according to several defense officials testifying to the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities.
Army systems leave soldiers vulnerable to late, inaccurate pay
The Government Accountability Office says that even while the Army has made some strides toward improving its pay practices, the service is a long way off from the kind of data integrity independent experts would need to see in order to green light the systems as audit-ready.
Afghan commander prefers robust US force in 2013
The top commander in Afghanistan said Thursday he prefers a significant American force of 68,000 to combat insurgents in 2013, signaling a potential halt in the drawdown and complicating any effort by President Barack Obama to speed up troop withdrawals after more than a decade of war.
Senator's opposition kills BRAC request
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, voiced her opposition Wednesday to the Defense Department's latest BRAC request, effectively killing the measure.
Lieberman puts reorg authority on 'bucket list'
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) has sponsored legislation to revive the fast-track authority requested by President Barack Obama. Other senators, however, want more details before signing off on the plan that, in part, would allow the President to merge overlapping business- and trade-related agencies.
MSPB, OSC already feeling brunt of budget reductions
Two small agencies with large responsibilities toward the federal workforce say they've trimmed all the fat from their budgets and will need more resources to keep up with increasing caseloads. Merit Systems Protection Board Chairman Susan Tsui Grundmann told a Senate subcommittee she worries about impending staff retirements as well. The Office of Special Counsel is also feeling pressure to do more with less.
Analysis: Latest contractor pay cap bill hurts ability to attract top talent
Trey Hodgkins, senior vice president for national security and procurement policy at TechAmerica, said the Senate bill will hurt the ability to attract people to government business.
USPS supporter in Senate criticizes postmaster general
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a staunch USPS supporter, takes Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe to task for pursuing a plan to close thousands of postal facilities in order to save $7.1 billion annually.
Senate bill revisits contractor pay cap
The bill (S.2198), introduced Thursday by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), would cap contractors' pay at $400,000 and apply that cap to all contract employees — not just top executives.
GOP plan would open FEHBP to non-feds
Four senators introduced a bill that would add Medicare patients to the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan, as Medicare is gradually phased out. The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association tells feds to be wary of the bill.
OMB's pause of financial systems had little effect on cost, schedule
GAO reviewed the administration's implementation of the July 2010 memo calling for a government-wide review of financial management projects. Auditors found about half of the projects said there was no change in cost and three-quarters said their schedule remained the same.
Congress balances openness with cyber protection
Lawmakers weigh public's right to know against the need to protect cyber secrets. Sen. Patrick Leahy's (D-Vt.) provision in 2012 Defense authorization bill tightens the definition of "exemptions," but he questions the need for further rules to give agencies power to withhold information.
SES mobility not 'musical chairs'
Host Mike Causey will talk career mobility with
Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior
Executives Service. Federal Times Senior Writers
Stephen Losey and Sean Reilly will talk about
how pending legislation in Congress will affect
your pay and benefits.
March 14, 2012
