Federal Newscast

Senate Democrats urge reversal of ruling threatening civil service protections

The Democrats’ new amicus brief follows a previous request in the same court case for a full-bench appeals court hearing.

Michele Sandiford

June 12, 2026 11:27 am

< a min read

Senate Democrats are urging a federal appeals court to reverse a decision upholding the firings of two immigration judges at the Justice Department. The lawmakers warn that the previous ruling from the Merit Systems Protection Board could give the president much broader firing powers over many civil servants. The Democrats’ new amicus brief follows a previous request in the same court case for a full-bench appeals court hearing.
(Amicus brief for Jackler and Jaroch v. Department of Justice - Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.))

The Department of Veterans Affairs is getting prosthetic limbs to veterans more quickly. The VA said it’s delivering prosthetics in 54 days on average, down from 94 days after streamlining the purchasing process. The department previously required a contracting officer to sign off on all orders, delaying delivery by weeks. VA Secretary Doug Collins exempted the vast majority of prosthetics from this requirement back in April. More than 45,000 veterans rely on VA each year for major limb loss care.
(VA speeds up delivery of prosthetic limbs to veterans - Department of Veterans Affairs)

The House's draft of the fiscal 2027 defense spending bill is moving forward. A panel of lawmakers gave the $1.1 trillion legislation its first stamp of approval on Thursday. The bill's supporters say its record high will modernize the US military to compete with China as the war with Iran continues. Priorities in the bill include counter-drug operations, support for the defense industry and a military pay raise up to 7%. It now moves on to the full House Appropriations Committee for consideration later this month.
(Lawmakers advance House's 2027 defense spending bill - House Appropriations Committee)

Agencies’ long-standing requirements to report demographic workforce data are now only optional. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said agencies no longer have to include breakdowns of their employees’ race, sex and ethnicity in their annual affirmative action reports. The EEOC chairwoman said lifting the requirements will eliminate burdens, improve effectiveness and address legal developments. But an EEOC commissioner who voted against the changes warned that it will weaken agencies’ ability to prevent and address workforce discrimination.
(EEOC drops requirements for agencies to report race, sex, ethnicity workforce data - Federal News Network)

An amendment in the House Armed Services Committee chairman's markup could discourage technology companies from building data centers on military installations, hindering Army modernization efforts and future private investment. The measure would bar the Defense Department from leasing its land to private companies for centers unless they agree not to use components manufactured in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. Army officials say the amendment would create a “federal land penalty,” if a company builds a data center outside its gates, they won’t face the same rules. The domestic industrial base does not yet produce some of the equipment needed for data centers, the Army said.
(HASC provision threatens Army modernization efforts, private investment - Federal News Network)

USDA employees facing relocation are weighing whether to stay or go. Some are eligible for incentives either way. Employees at the National Agricultural Statistics Service have until July 8 to decide to relocate to St. Louis or one of the agency’s regional offices. Regardless of their choice, employees are eligible for financial incentives. The relocation notice states employees who agree to move and commit to working in their new office for two years will receive a relocation incentive. The memo also states that employees will also be eligible for buyouts and early retirement.
(USDA employees facing relocation weigh whether to stay or go. Some are eligible for incentives either way - Federal News Network)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is creating a new office to play a larger role in how it delivers services to the healthcare sector. The Office of Health Technology and Products (OHTP) will provide enterprise leadership and oversight for CMS healthcare technology modernization, digital products and transformation of platforms and services to support all of the agency's programs. CMS said OHTP, which will work closely with its CIO's office, will lead the design, development, delivery and operation of CMS digital products and platforms, including beneficiary, provider and state-facing systems.
(CMS creates new office to oversee public-facing digital services - Federal Register)

New data shows just how rough of a year its been for small business contractors. A new report from Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), ranking member of the Small Business Committee, found that since January 2025 when President Donald Trump took office, agencies have reduced spending with small business contractors by $47 billion. Additionally, the minority staff data shows more than 6,500 small firms have left the federal market over the last 15 months. Committee staff, which pulled publicly available data to create the report, said every socioeconomic group also has felt the impact of the Trump administration’s policies with HUBZone and 8(a) seeing a more than 25% reduction in set-aside contracts.
(Small business spending down by $47B during Trump administration - Federal News Network)

A provision prohibiting companies from buying their own stock if they are not meeting Defense Department performance needs has made it into the Senate Armed Services Committee’s fiscal 2027 defense policy bill. The measure is partially based on a bipartisan bill that limits executive pay and stock buybacks. Industry has pushed back, saying any legislative efforts that seek to codify parts of President Donald Trump’s executive order that restricts stock buybacks would “transform a targeted policy directive into a blunt and overreaching statutory mandate.” The Committee advanced its version of the defense policy bill Thursday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who secured the provision in the Senate version of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, said it's “time to stop contractors from putting Wall Street over our national security.”
(Defense contractor stock buyback provision advances in Senate - Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.))

Free shopping bags could make a comeback at military commissaries if a new proposal in the House becomes law. The House draft of the annual defense policy bill would undo the Defense Department's recent ban on single-use bags at grocery stores on base. Most commissaries stopped using disposable bags in 2024 in an effort to save money and help the environment. The department briefly charged customers to buy single-use paper and plastic bags, but stopped after just a month. Providing single-use bags costs the department $17 million each year.
(Free bags may return to commissaries - House Armed Services Committee NDAA)