Congress
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The top lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services Committee have called on the Defense Department to detail how it will cut billions more from its budget if sequestration continues into next year. In a letter dated May 2, Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the committee, asked Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to provide a "package of reductions" to the department's proposed 2014 budget.
May 07, 2013 -
The Pentagon insists it is paying to maintain much more military base infrastructure than it needs, and the problem will only get worse as the Defense Department shrinks due to budget reductions. Congress, however, remains unsympathetic.
May 06, 2013 -
Currently deployed units and those behind them are fully trained and equipped, the services say. But those next in line "aren't doing much." The fiscal 2013 budget also may be too little, too late in some ship repair and maintenance efforts.
May 02, 2013 -
When politicians created the sequestration monster, it may have seemed like a good idea at the time. But now that it's here, nobody wants to take credit for it, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. And politicians who insisted that the cuts be across-the-board are now demanding agencies exempt certain programs and people from furloughs.
May 02, 2013 -
Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) introduced legislation to require federal employees, the president, vice president and members of Congress to use insurance under the Affordable Care Act instead of the current federal program.
May 01, 2013 -
Two senators from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee want to change Senate rules in an attempt to make sure new federal programs or initiatives in proposed legislation don't overlap with existing efforts. Earlier this month, two House members introduced a measure that would require House committees of jurisdiction to hold oversight hearings on an annual report from the Government Accountability Office detailing government duplication.
April 29, 2013 -
The House is expected to quickly pass a bill the Senate approved last night that would end furloughs for air traffic controllers. The legislation gives the Federal Aviation Administration the authority to transfer up to $253 million from accounts flush with funds into other programs. This would would help to prevent reductions in operations and staffing through the end of fiscal year 2013.
April 26, 2013 -
On this week's Capital Impact show, Bloomberg Government analysts will examine how online college courses are afffecting higher education in the U.S. April 25, 2013
April 25, 2013 -
Army leaders say the belated passage of a 2013 budget helped this year's fiscal picture, but the service still is more than $15 billion short of funds. If sequestration continues, the service will shrink by at least 100,000 soldiers.
April 24, 2013 -
A trio of lawmakers from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee want the Government Accountability Office to examine whether the General Schedule system for federal employees needs an update. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), said the watchdog agency's review would aid the lawmakers in evaluating "the appropriateness of the General Schedule (GS) as a pay scale for today's workforce."
April 22, 2013 -
If Congress doesn't pass comprehensive postal reform legislation soon, it could find itself forced to bail out the financially troubled U.S. Postal Service to the tune of billions of dollars, said Postmaster General Pat Donahoe. The postmaster general said in a speech at the National Press Club he's optimistic Congress will pass postal reform legislation this year.
April 19, 2013 -
Advocacy organizations are criticizing the Pentagon's proposed fee increase for TRICARE as unfair and discriminatory.
April 19, 2013 -
On this week's Capital Impact show, Bloomberg Government analysts discuss President Obama's 2014 budget proposal, and patent litigation settlements involving pharmaceutical companies. April 18, 2013
April 18, 2013 -
Defense agencies and services are pulling back hundreds of millions of dollars worth of grants and contracts. Impending furloughs will further impair DoD's ability to get money out the door.
April 18, 2013 -
Postmaster General Pat Donahoe told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday that the Postal Service is operating under a "broken business model." But cost-saving efforts, such as ending Saturday delivery and modifying a multibillion dollar requirement to prefund future retirees health care costs, garnered little agreement among lawmakers.
April 17, 2013