Search Tags:  Susan Collins

Senate committee makes quick work of real property, Hatch Act bills

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved six bills that would affect the day-to-day workings of the federal government.

Tags: Congress , Senate , Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committ , Federal Real Property Asset Management Reform Act , Hatch Act Modernization Act of 2012 , management , Government Accountability Office , Tom Carper , Joe Lieberman , AFGE , Esther Carey , Beth Moten

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Senate cyber bill is 'dead'

The upper chamber fails to move cyber bill out of starting blocks by receiving 60 votes to end cloture. Lawmakers couldn't get past their concerns over the requirement for regulations and DHS' oversight role.

Tags: technology , Congress , Harry Reid , Joseph Lieberman , Charles Grassley , cybersecurity , U.S. Chamber of Commerce , Tom Carper , Jason Miller

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Changes coming to key congressional committees despite status-quo election

Following Tuesday's election, Democrats maintain control of the Senate and Republicans continue to hold sway in the House. Retirements, term limits and a few new lawmakers alter the leadership of some committees.

Tags: Congress , Senate , House , Tom Davis , Election 2012 , Claire McCaskill , Jim Webb , Tim Kaine , Michael OConnell

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Draft order would give companies cyberthreat info

Tags: cybersecurity , Congress , CISPA , Mike Rogers , Dutch Ruppersberger , John Boehner , Justin Amash , Joe Lieberman , John McCain

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GOP lawmakers urge Obama to drop cyber executive order

Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate wrote to President Barack Obama urging him to not issue an executive order setting voluntary cybersecurity standards for private-sector operators of critical infrastructure.

Tags: Congress , House , Senate , cybersecurity , cybersecurity legislation , Joseph Lieberman , Fred Upton , House Energy and Commerce Committee , Senate Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee , Cybersecurity Act of 2012 , CISPA , Jack Moore

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Senate expands whistleblower protections for feds

The Senate unanimously approved a bill Tuesday expanding protections for federal whistleblowers. The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, authored and introduced by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), the chairman of a Senate subcommittee on the federal workforce, updates a 1989 law protecting government whistleblowers.

Tags: Congress , House , Senate , management , whistleblowers , whistleblower protection , whistleblower bill , Akaka , Darrell Issa , Jack Moore

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Collins wants to know why VA conference planners received bonuses

In an Oct. 9 letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinskei, Sen. Susan Collins requested the agency disclose whether employees responsible for planning the two conferences held in Orlando, Fla., last summer, also worked on other conferences. In addition, Collins said she wants to know how much conference planners earned in bonuses and other awards for their work.

Tags: Congress , Senate , oversight , VA , Eric Shinseki , conference spending , Jack Moore

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Congress faces continuing resolution, sequestration and postal reform

Lawmakers returned to Washington, D.C., this week with a packed agenda. Topping the list of priorities is hammering out final details of a stopgap spending measure to keep the government running beyond the end of the fiscal year -- Sept. 30. Amid the election-year politicking, the list of unfinished business also includes legislation to restructure the financially ailing U.S. Postal Service and a cybersecurity bill that aims to safeguard the nation's critical infrastructure. Perhaps looming largest of all is what Congress plans to do about automatic, across-the-board cuts, known as sequestration, set to take effect Jan. 2. Failure to avert the cuts could send the country over a "fiscal cliff," budget experts warn.

Tags: Congress , House , Senate , budget , sequestration , John Boehner , Harry Reid , CR , USPS , postal reform , cybersecurity , Jolie Lee , Amanda Iacone , Jack Moore

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Senators tell DoJ to fix its suspension, debarment databases

Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) want regular updates from Justice officials on the steps they are taking to better input and share information on vendors who have committed crimes. The DoJ IG found the agency's internal controls and training were lacking.

Tags: acquisition , contracting , Justice Department , Joseph Lieberman , suspension and debarment , Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Co , Jason Miller , Federal Drive

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Senators try compromise to get cyber bill passed

The revised Cybersecurity Act of 2012 removes DHS from having sole oversight authority of critical infrastructure and shares the responsibility across an interagency council. The bill also would make the implementation of cyber standards by critical infrastructure operators voluntary. The legislation encourages an incentive-based program.

Tags: technology , cybersecurity , Congress , Joseph Lieberman , Cybersecurity Act of 2012 , Critical infrastructure protection , FISMA , OPM , DHS , cyber workforce , Jason Miller

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