Budget

• Gerald Dillingham: How to add predictability to FAA’s budget

  Budget uncertainty has been the norm for most federal agencies for several years in a row now. But the Federal Aviation Administration has suffered more than most. Long before the days of sequestration, the FAA had already gone through several years of short-term agency reauthorizations that kept its funding and programmatic priorities largely in limbo. Congress asked the Government Accountablity Office to examine the FAA's budget and how to add some predictability to the mix, and GAO has now reported back. Gerald Dillingham is the director of civil aviation issues at GAO, and he joined Jared Serbu on Federal Drive with Tom Temin to talk about the report.

  Federal Drive

  December 17, 2015
• Jason Miller: Omnibus bill includes some things feds will like

  The 2016 spending bill holds more presents than lumps of coal for federal employees. The omnibus appropriations bill is the first one in some time that didn’t require federal employees to hold their collective breaths for possible pay and benefits changes. Federal News Radio’s executive editor Jason Miller joins Jared Serbu on Federal Drive with Tom Temin me with details about why federal employees should be a little more optimistic for 2016 and beyond. Read Jason's related story.

  Federal Drive

  December 17, 2015
• Pay raise, transit benefits parity gives feds optimism for 2016

  The omnibus spending bill includes money for the FBI’s new headquarters, 10 years of credit monitoring services for OPM breach victims and much more for federal employees.

  Budget

  December 17, 2015
• In case of shutdown, lawmakers propose retroactive pay for furloughed feds

  If Congress fails to pass an omnibus spending bill before the Dec. 16 deadline and triggers a government shutdown, three Virginia lawmakers want to ensure furloughed federal employees get back pay.

  Pay

  December 15, 2015
• The upside of government shutdowns

  Shutting down the federal government is a truly dumb thing to do, but Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says that doesn't mean it won't happen.

  Mike Causey

  December 15, 2015
• Tim McManus: How does budget uncertainty impact the federal workforce?

  With the constant yo-yo of shutdown deadlines and continuing resolutions, it's not easy being a federal manager or, for that matter, a regular employee. Tim McManus, vice president for education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service talks to Federal Drive with Tom Temin about what all this uncertainty means for mangers and employees.

  Federal Drive

  December 11, 2015
• Don Kettl: Shutdown concerns just won’t go away

  Like the bunny-boiling lover in Fatal Attraction, the threat of a government shutdown just won't stay away. Now it's back as the weekend looms. Congress is likely to pass another continuing resolution. But just in case, federal managers have had plenty of time to plan for a lapse in funding. Joining Federal Drive with Tom Temin with more is University of Maryland School of Public Policy professor Don Kettl.

  Federal Drive

  December 11, 2015
• Scott Maucione: Will budget deal solve DoD’s long-term modernization needs?

  The Defense Department has a temporary reprieve from budget uncertainty with the two-year budget deal. Now that the department can look further ahead, two of its top budgetary officials are beating the drum for nuclear modernization. The bill for modernization and sustainment of nuclear weapons could be as high as $1 trillion over the next 30 years. Federal News Radio’s Scott Maucione tells Federal Drive with Tom Temin about his look into the nuclear triad question.

  Federal Drive

  December 10, 2015
• Short-term spending bill emerges as lingering shutdown concerns rise

  While a continuing resolution seems likely in the waning days of the short-term spending bill the government is currently operating under, federal employees once again have found themselves looking over their shoulders for any sign of a shutdown.

  Government Shutdown

  December 10, 2015
• David Hawkings: A lot could happen before Friday’s budget deadline

  Congress came back to work yesterday and went another day closer to Friday's deadline for passing a budget for 2016. Unless it reaches a deal by Friday, well, a lot of things could happen. CQ Roll Call's Senior Editor David Hawkings fills in Federal Drive with Tom Temin on the latest.

  Federal Drive

  December 08, 2015
• Mark Bell: DHS IG assesses information shortfall and beyond

  Hundreds of millions lost on failed projects. Employees down in the dumps. Lack of data to make good management decisions. For the Homeland Security Department, the challenges never end. Each year its office of Inspector General looks at the department, summarizing its challenges as well as the progress it's made. Mark Bell, the assistant general inspector for audits, discusses the department-wide issues with Federal Drive with Tom Temin, starting with the information shortfall.

  Federal Drive

  December 07, 2015
• Budget deal doesn’t pay DoD’s long-term modernization bills

  The Pentagon bolsters its plea for $1 trillion in nuclear modernization funds as the weapons age and funding is limited.

  Budget

  December 07, 2015
• Too many military personnel performing civilian jobs?

  The Congressional Budget Office raises the question: Do we have too many uniformed military personnel performing office work?

  DoD Reporter's Notebook

  December 07, 2015
• Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro: Is DoD doing less with more?

  Defense Department spending rises every year, even after sequestration. But the fighting force is shrinking. In effect, DoD is doing less with more. Retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro, head of the Punaro Group, has been saying on Capitol Hill that Congress and the Pentagon need to tackle their built-in costs. The DOD Comptroller recently said the department would get 96 percent of what it asked for in 2017. Federal Drive with Tom Temin asked Punaro if that's a useful metric.

  Federal Drive

  December 04, 2015