Congress
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For years, politicians from both parties have threatened to trim federal benefits, like retirement and health insurance, but nothing has happened. In today's guest column, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey asks benefits expert John Grobe to talk about the history and future of federal benefits.
December 26, 2012 -
Congress has cleared the way for a $633 billion defense policy bill that includes mandated reductions to the Defense Department's civilian and contractor workforces. Leaders of a House-Senate conference committee, tasked with reconciling competing versions of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, included in the final report the automatic workforce reductions that opponents say would result in about 36,000 job losses.
December 19, 2012 -
Defense analyst Jim McAleese reviews the Defense Authorization Bill agreed on by both the Senate and the House yesterday. OPM Director John Berry says proposed rules to implement phased retirement are on the fast track. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) discusses changes that will make it easier for feds to telework. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) talks about benefits that will help retain federal employees. Vivian Reifberg of McKinsey & Co. talks about why the current administrative transition is so important. Alex Bolton of The Hill discusses the fiscal cliff negotiations.
December 19, 2012 -
Director John Berry said the agency's Innovation Lab is helping to take a different, more rapid approach to developing the proposed rule to implement the new program. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) also is suggesting the creation of a "leave bank" for workers who leave federal service but plan to return. Berry said that's an innovative idea OPM may look at.
December 19, 2012 -
In the fiscal-cliff talks, it now appears that both sides have blinked. Republicans appear willing to accept some higher taxes and Democrats seem to have agreed that Social Security's growing costs must be curtailed. Slightly and slowly. So how will the proposals affect you? Check out Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's column.
December 19, 2012 -
In the latest proposals traded back and forth between the White House and Boehner, the President proposed changing the formula the Labor Department uses to measure inflation — which would reduce annual COLAs for Social Security beneficiaries, including federal and military retirees. Federal-employee unions and groups remain worried the COLA proposals are still very much on the table.
December 18, 2012 -
If Congress and the White House cut a last-minute deal to avoid sequestration and the fiscal cliff, some of the compromise may come out of your hide, whether you are active or retired, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
December 18, 2012 -
If you could pick any historical event to relive, it probably wouldn't be the maiden voyage of the Titanic — that didn't go well. And now, 100 years later, federal, military and Social Security retirees are just becoming aware of a political iceberg that could punch a hole in their future benefits, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
December 17, 2012 -
The House this week approved a handful of bills aimed at improving federal financial management and oversight of government operations. Two of the bills — one requiring the Homeland Security Department to pass a complete financial audit and the other lightening the mandatory caseload of the Government Accountability Office — have already been passed by the Senate and head to the president's desk for his signature.
December 14, 2012 -
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in October ordered Congress to pay six federal judges years of back pay.
December 14, 2012 -
Feds have more than the usual year end issues on their plate at 2012 draws to a close, according to Senior Correspondent Mike Causey. There is the fast-approaching fiscal cliff, the dangers of sequestration, maybe a bonus pre-Christmas holiday and, of course, the end of the world. Check it out, if you dare.
December 14, 2012 -
On this week's Bloomberg Government Capital Impact show, analysts will discuss how the fiscal cliff crisis is impacting businesses. Also, what does the future look like for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae? December 13, 2012
December 13, 2012 -
As planning begins for sequestration, the military may have to cut billions more than previously imagined. DoD, like all agencies, is waiting for instruction from the OMB on how to reduce their budget.
December 13, 2012 -
Many in government are worried about the threat of sequestration, the across-the-board budget cuts set to take effect in January unless Congress and the White come up with an alternative deficit-cutting plan. But federal employee groups and sympathetic lawmakers are also concerned about such alternatives -- if they contain changes to federal employee pay or compensation. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and a slate of federal-employee unions and groups are warning of such proposals in the deficit talks to replace sequestration.
December 12, 2012 -
Dr. A. Hunter Fanney talks about a house the NIST Engineering Lab is using to study green technologies. Dr. Cheryl Martin discusses the Energy Department's recent round of grants to foster new technology. Financial Planner Arthur Stein discusses the impact of FERS over the last 25 years. Pete Kasperowicz of The Hill newspapers reviews upcoming legislation on Capitol Hill.
December 12, 2012