Monday - Friday, 6-10 a.m.

Hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp bring you the latest news affecting the federal community each weekday morning. Be up-to-date before you step in the office.

Beneficiaries claim VA's processing of GI Bill benefits still lackluster

The Department of Veterans Affairs' work to automate payments under the complicated Post-9/11 GI bill is coming to fruition. But schools and students complain about inability to track status of claims.

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Senate GOP blocks Hagel vote for now

Senate GOP blocks vote on Hagel nomination as defense secretary, new vote after week's recess

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Dude, Where's my refund? IRS website overrun

IRS website overwhelmed by people checking status of tax refunds; agency pleads for restraint

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Correction: Brennan-CIA story

Correction: Brennan-CIA story

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Democrats to unveil bill to replace budget cuts

Senate Democrats to unveil bill to replace automatic budget cuts

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OMB to Congress: Sequestration impact 'real,' but furloughs not immediate

Obama administration officials are painting a bleak picture of how federal agencies would fare under sequestration, the automatic budget cuts slated to go into effect in two weeks. The Senate Appropriations Committee heard testimony from several Obama administration officials about the consequences of the cuts, which are set to take effect March 1. However, Danny Werfel, controller of the Office of Management and Budget, emphasized to the committee that employee furloughs would not be immediate.

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Boehner taking a you-first approach to proposals

Scarred from political skirmishes, Boehner content to let Democratic proposals come to him

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Social Security head: Program fraying from neglect

AP Interview: Outgoing Social Security commissioner says benefit cuts, tax hikes inevitable

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Federal Drive Interviews -- Feb.14, 2013

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IRS program, interagency contracting finally removed from High-Risk list

A total of 30 programs, once again, are considered troubled, including two new areas. But, the Government Accountability Office removed the IRS' Business Systems Modernization program after 18 years on the list, and interagency contracting after 8 years.

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Cyber information sharing bill gets new life in House

Despite a veto threat a year ago, House proponents of a cyber information sharing bill say productive talks now are underway with the Obama administration. Reps. Mike Rogers and Dutch Ruppersberger re-introduced the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) trying to address privacy and civil liberties concerns.

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Thursday morning federal headlines - Feb. 14, 2013

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air.

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DHS, NIST lynchpins helping cyber order succeed

The newly issued Executive Order gives NIST, DHS several goals and corresponding deadlines over the next year. NIST will work with industry to create a cybersecurity framework. DHS is expanding the information sharing program so industry can receive classified and unclassified cyber threat data more easily and more quickly.

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Boehner voices skepticism on budget prospects

House Speaker John Boehner expressed doubts Wednesday that the Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate could reach agreement on a budget and avoid automatic spending cuts that could jeopardize economic growth.

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Boehner: Up to Democrats to prevent budget cuts

Boehner: Up to Democrats to prevent budget cuts; 'hard to imagine' broader budget pact

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Feds roll out cyber plan as Hill vows legislation

Administration officials and lawmakers say America is losing an aggressive cyber-espionage campaign waged from China.Both sides agreed to push legislation that would make it easier for the government and industry to share information about who is getting hacked and what to do about it.

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Obama again nominates pair to labor board

President Barack Obama has again nominated two members of the National Labor Relations Board whose appointments last year were disputed by a federal appeals court.

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Pay freeze bill heading for House vote

The House Rules Committee voted to fast-track legislation extending the pay freeze for federal employees through the end of the fiscal year. Federal workers are now slated to get a 0.5 percent pay increase in March when a stopgap continuing resolution expired. However, the measure approved by the House Rules Committee, introduced by Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), would block that increase.

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Pentagon creates new medal for cyber, drone wars

They fight the war from computer consoles and video screens.Now their battlefield contributions may be recognized with the first new combat-related medal to be created in decades.

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USPS makes case for ending Saturday delivery as postal reform push continues

The U.S. Postal Service's worsening financial situation led Postmaster General Pat Donahoe to announce last week the agency would end Saturday mail delivery beginning in August. But lawmakers on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee were divided over Donahoe's announcement. The postmaster general told the committee during a hearing Wednesday the decision was necessary to save $2 billion a year and to begin shoring up the service's funding shortfalls.

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