While you’ve been dipping your toes in sand and surf, members of Congress have been in their home districts, being heaped with both approbation and scorn. The immigration reform issue is still simmering, waiting for members when they return. One point of contention is the timing of when illegal immigrants will become legal. Russell Berman is a staff writer at The Hill Newspaper. He’s been covering these issues.

The Veterans Health Administration hands out performance bonuses to 80 percent of eligible physicians and dentists. But it can’t prove why. That’s a red flag to the Government Accountability Office. Director of Health Care Issues Debra Draper is drawing attention to the issue with a new report.

As many as a quarter of federal employees are not entitled to a key civil service protection, based on a recent ruling by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. It found those working in “sensitive” positions cannot appeal personnel issues to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Andres Grajales is the deputy general counsel for the American Federation of Government Employees. He represented two Defense Department employees in the lawsuit. He joined Tom and Emily in this week’s Legal Loop.

The Homeland Security Department has put an employee on paid administrative leave for running a racist website. Ayo Kimathi deals with small businesses in his role as an acquisition officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He reportedly had his supervisors’ permission to launch the website, although they apparently did not understand its purpose. Employment lawyer Debra Roth is a partner at Shaw Bransford & Roth.