Congress

  • Federal officials routinely cite the fact that they're dealing with taxpayer dollars. Well, what if 90 percent of America didn't pay income tax? The Progressive Consumption Tax Act is a proposal to completely overhaul the tax system. By taxing purchases instead of income, it's designed to encourage savings. But what could the effect be on federal revenues? In the Congressional Spotlight on the Federal Drive, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) walked Tom Temin through his bill.

    March 06, 2015
  • The Veterans Affairs Department says it is spending $24 million per year to maintain facility space it can't use. Some of the restrictions on closing them are political, some are local, so VA thinks it needs a BRAC of its own.

    March 06, 2015
  • In addition to the IG Empowerment Act, the committee approved eight bipartisan bills, several of which run the gamut of federal management and workforce issues, from sick leave to car repairs.

    March 05, 2015
  • Congress is renewing its push for more oversight of a controversial agency. Two House members introduced the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Inspector General Act of 2015. It's a bipartisan effort, sponsored by Reps. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio). The bill would create an independent Inspector General position at the CFPB. Stivers joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with more on the bill.

    March 05, 2015
  • Ashton Carter, the new Defense secretary, told lawmakers this week that most of DoD's civilian workforce is performing mission-critical functions. But large budgets over the past decade have let the department do a lot of hiring without much thought toward cutting outdated positions, he said.

    March 05, 2015
  • Jennifer Mattingley, director of government affairs with Shaw Bransford and Roth, will discuss the federal pay raise, changes to the retirees cost of living program and other issues affected feds, and Federal Times Senior Writer Andy Medici will talk about phased retirement and possible changes in defense per diem rates. March 4, 2015

    March 04, 2015
  • By ERICA WERNER and DAVID ESPO Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Bitterly admitting defeat, the Republican-controlled Congress sent legislation to President Barack Obama on Tuesday that funds the Department of Homeland Security without any of…

    March 04, 2015
  • Taking 10 years to settle a whistleblower complaint could get a company in trouble with the Justice Department. But what if it's a Justice Department agency that takes so long? The Justice Department needs to improve how it handles whistleblower retaliation complaints from the FBI. That's according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. David Maurer, director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues at the GAO, joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with more on the report.

    March 04, 2015
  • Nearly a quarter of the military's facilities are rated as in "poor" condition; another 7 percent are failing. Officials say their 2016 budget would begin to dig out of billions of dollars in backlogged maintenance needs.

    March 04, 2015
  • Two pieces of legislation to repair the security clearance process are now one piece. Senator Jon Tester, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and several of his colleagues are combining the Security Clearance Accountability Reform and Enhancement Act and the Preventing Conflicts of Interest Act. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said one bill will solve both problems.

    March 03, 2015
  • Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle are fighting back against the Pentagon's cost-cutting plan for employees who travel for work.

    March 03, 2015
  • The House on Monday approved a bill allowing the Veterans Affairs secretary to force senior executives to repay bonuses if the employees engaged in misconduct.

    March 03, 2015
  • By DAVID ESPO AP Special Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker John Boehner left open the possibility Monday that the House might pass long-term funding for the Homeland Security Department without immigration provisions attached, as Republican…

    March 03, 2015
  • Some would argue that Republicans and Democrats in Congress make it a habit of torturing each other. But Senior Correspondent Mike Causey knows that they're really there to torture us.

    March 03, 2015