Government News
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House investigators say a federal contractor that provided identity verification services for the Internal Revenue Service overstated its capacity to perform its services. The investigators say ID.me also made false claims about the amount of money lost to pandemic fraud in an apparent effort to increase demand for its services. The investigation of firm ID.me began in April after critics said the facial recognition software could become a target of cyberthreats and presented privacy concerns. A company representative says “calling ID.me’s estimate too high or baseless is premature, and we welcome additional oversight on this important matter."
November 17, 2022 -
The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection has resigned from his job leading the nation’s largest law enforcement agency as agents encounter record numbers of migrants entering the U.S. from Mexico. Chris Magnus submitted his resignation to President Joe Biden on Saturday, saying it had been “a privilege and honor” to be part of the administration. Two people who were briefed on the matter told The Associated Press on Friday that Magnus was told to resign or be fired less than a year after he was confirmed. His removal is part of a larger shakeup expected at Homeland Security as it struggles to manage migrants coming from a wider range of countries, including Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.
November 12, 2022 -
The U.S. Interior Department's plan to withdraw hundreds of square miles in New Mexico from oil and gas production for the next 20 years is expected to result in only a few dozen wells not being drilled on federal land surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Land managers on Thursday released an environmental assessment of the plan first outlined by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in 2021 in response to the concerns of Native American tribes in New Mexico and Arizona. Environmentalists say the agency needs to take a broader look at the cumulative effects of development if they want to preserve cultural sites and limit pollution from ongoing development beyond the proposed withdrawal zone.
November 11, 2022 -
The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is being forced out of his job leading the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, according to two people familiar with the matter. Chris Magnus has been on the job less than a year. He was told to resign or be fired, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly and Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council. The ultimatum comes after Republican gains in midterm elections are likely to lead to more congressional scrutiny.
November 11, 2022 -
The U.S. is celebrating Veterans Day at a time when the nation is experiencing some of its lowest monthly veteran unemployment rates on record. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the seasonally adjusted veteran jobless rate was 2.7% in October. Experts say the low numbers are due in part to the tight labor market. But they also credit significant efforts in recent years by the federal government and veteran service organizations to provide assistance to former service members. Leaving the military can be one of the most difficult transitions a person can make. The transformation sometimes takes years of working unfulfilling jobs, while finding a new purpose beyond serving one’s country.
November 11, 2022 -
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says the postal service gave a solid performance in delivering mail-in ballots for the midterm elections and is ready to dive into the crush of holiday deliveries. DeJoy told the Board of Governors on Thursday that 11.3 billion pieces of mail and 567 million packages were delivered last month. He says the Postal Service has stabilized its workforce and is ready for the next challenge of delivering holiday cards and parcels. The Postal Service announced an adjusted annual operating loss of $473 million for the fiscal year when a one-time adjustment under the Postal Service Reform Act was excluded from the results.
November 10, 2022 -
U.S. Army officials say investigators have launched a broad review of at least 1,900 National Guard and Reserve soldiers who were swept up in a recruiting bonus scandal up to a decade ago and may have been wrongly blamed and punished.
November 03, 2022 -
A new U.S. defense strategy says China remains the greatest security challenge for the United States despite Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. It says the threat from Beijing will determine how the U.S. military is equipped and shaped for a future. Pentagon notes a new reality, where the security environment has deteriorated, and the U.S. may face a situation where it has to deter two nuclear-armed adversaries, China and Russia, simultaneously. The 80-page, unclassified report was released on Thursday.
October 27, 2022 -
Presidents come and go, but White House grounds superintendent Dale Haney has been a constant through the past 10 presidencies. As of this month, Haney has tended the lawns and gardens of the White House for 50 years. But he may be better known for taking care of the president's pets. Lately, he's often seen with Commander, President Joe Biden's dog. Haney started at the White House in 1972, and said he planned to work there for just two years. President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, surprised Haney on Monday by planting an elm tree on the south grounds to honor Haney.
October 24, 2022 -
More than 60 years after Anna May Wong became the first Asian American woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the pioneering actor has coined another first, quite literally. With quarters bearing her face and manicured hand set to start shipping Monday, per the U.S. Mint, Wong will be the first Asian American to grace U.S. currency. Wong was known for fighting against stereotypes foisted on her by a white Hollywood. She is one of five women being honored this year as part of the U.S. Mint's American Women Quarters program.
October 20, 2022 -
The Pentagon will provide travel funds and support for troops and their dependents who seek abortions but are based in states where they are now illegal. The Pentagon has looked at how it can continue to support medical services including abortion to servicemembers and family members since the Supreme Court overturned its own 1973 abortion-legalizing ruling in June. The new policy was announced Thursday by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Many of the Pentagon’s major military bases are located in states including Texas and Florida where anti-abortion laws are now in place.
October 20, 2022 -
A new report and Pentagon data show that suicides across the active duty U.S. military decreased over the past 18 months, driven by sharp drops in the Air Force and Marine Corps last year and a similar decline among Army soldiers during the first six months of this year.
October 20, 2022 -
President Joe Biden has officially kicked off the application process for his student debt cancellation program
October 17, 2022 -
Congress is moving quickly to avoid a government shutdown
September 29, 2022 -
Sen. Joe Manchin has abandoned his push to speed up the permitting process for energy projects
September 27, 2022