Congress
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The House voted 263-116 to approve the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act and send it to the Senate. The measure would make those are who are seriously delinquent ineligible for federal employment, whether they're working for the government now or are applying for a job. The House will also vote on final passage of a bill Wednesday to curb misuse of government charge cards.
July 31, 2012 -
Remember the recent cyber attack on more than 100,000 Thrift Savings Plan participants? It's been out of the headlines lately, but lawmakers haven't forgotten about it.
July 31, 2012 -
Good news, bad news. The good news is that the end of the world — in your case, maybe extended furloughs or even a layoff — is likely to be extended. Things are currently scheduled to go boom early next January. But there are signs that Congress may delay the day of reckoning until March or April of 2013. Now your only worry is the Mayan calendar, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
July 31, 2012 -
The U.S. Postal Service is bracing for a first-ever default on billions in payments due to the Treasury, adding to widening uncertainty about the mail agency's solvency as first-class letters plummet and Congress deadlocks on ways to stem the red ink. With cash running perilously low, two legally required payments for future postal retirees' health benefits - $5.5 billion due Wednesday, and another $5.6 billion due in September - will be left unpaid, the mail agency said Monday.
July 30, 2012 -
Panetta's request is falling on highly skeptical ears. A bipartisan group of two dozen representatives sent Panetta a tough letter.
July 30, 2012 -
Two years after U.S. Cyber Command became operational, the military services that provide its cyber forces are beginning to more tightly define their respective responsibilities in the joint cyber environment. Gen. Keith Alexander issued a memo recently giving each of the services a lead cyber role for specific geographic areas of the world.
July 30, 2012 -
Panelists are former Energy CFO Owen Barwell and Treasury Department's Nani Coloretti.
July 27, 2012 -
Pentagon hiring freeze for civilian employees will last several more years, although Defense Department leaders say they'll grant exemptions to give the department flexibility.
July 27, 2012 -
Legislation forcing the White House to explain how the across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration will affect individual agencies is now waiting for President Barack Obama's signature. The Senate unanimously approved the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 Wednesday, which requires the administration to detail within 30 days how the $1.2 trillion over 10 years in automatic cuts will be applied. The House passed its version of the bill last week in a 414-2 vote.
July 26, 2012 -
Senate Bill 3285 would grant Russia permanent normal trade status, requiring the U.S. to provide Russia with tariff and trade treatment that's no less beneficial than what the U.S. applies to any other country with the same status.
July 26, 2012 -
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the furloughs would address tighter budgets caused by sequestration. He also discussed other possible effects, including reductions in contracting. Wednesday's hearing represented the first time members of Congress have closely examined the effects across-the-board spending cuts could have on civilian agencies.
July 26, 2012 -
The secretaries of the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs testified about how the two agencies are collaborating to make it easier for military members to return to civilian life. Members of the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs House committees questioned them about various programs designed to help the process.
July 26, 2012 -
The Modified Infrastructure Survey Tool does not provide information about the consequences of security incidents at federal facilities, a GAO auditor said. As a result, agencies cannot effectively deploy countermeasures. Still, Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) said he was happy with FPS' progress in developing MIST.
July 25, 2012 -
In a report from the Heritage Foundation, analyst Paul Rosenzweig said the bill still is intrusive, provides little liability protection for private owners and the proposed incentives would make the standards mandatory, not voluntary as lawmakers have claimed.
July 24, 2012 -
Thanks to the 800-pound gorilla in the room, both federal workers and retirees may suffer a cut in take-home pay next year, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
July 24, 2012