The Senate plans to mark up the 2015 defense appropriations bill on Thursday. That will probably help make it the first appropriations bill to pass the Senate for fiscal 2015. Meanwhile the House will try to pass its seventh appropriations bill. Congress as a whole needs to pass 12 spending bills by September 30th if it wants to avoid another continuing resolution or a full government shutdown. David Hawkings is Senior Editor of Roll Call. He shared Capitol Hill's progress on the bills on In Depth with guest host Jared Serbu.
Congress needs to pass twelve annual spending bills -- which set agency funding levels -- before the end of the fiscal year on September 30th. The House passed five of those bills so far. The Senate hasn't passed any. The appropriations process was supposed to be easier this year compared to last year. That's because lawmakers have already agreed on a bipartisan budget deal that sets topline spending figures for the next two years. Philip Joyce is a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland. In an interview with Web Writer Jack Moore, he said agencies should still plan for a continuing resolution.
The Sept. 30 deadline for Congress to deliver a complete fiscal 2015 budget plan is still about four months away. But with a lengthy summer recess spanning nearly the entire month of August, that leaves fewer than 40 working days for the appropriation committees on Capitol Hill to finalize agency spending levels. That has some budget watchers already raising the possibility of a stopgap continuing resolution to fund government operations.
Shunning the turmoil of recent budget clashes, Congress is ready to approve a massive $1.1 trillion spending bill for this year, a compromise financing everything from airports to war costs and brimming with victories and setbacks for both parties.
Army officials say the service is facing uncertainty times after weathering a series of continuing resolutions, sequestration and a partial government shutdown. Meanwhile, a new round of automatic budget cuts may be on the horizon if Congress doesn't pass a new budget come January.
Bob Lohfeld, CEO of Lohfeld Consulting, and Ray Bjorklund, president of BirchGrove Consulting will give their thoughts on the government shutdown and the top contracting issues in 2014. September 30, 2013
Pentagon guidance says military members will report to work as normal under a government shutdown, and most employees working under service contracts would be unaffected as well. But about half the civilian workforce would be told to stay home without pay.
The Air Force says budget uncertainty will mean a lot of delayed contracting decisions in the first portion of 2014. Meanwhile, the service is hurriedly trying to spend every last dollar in its 2013 procurement accounts.
Attorney Thomas J. O'Rourke will answer your calls and emails on how to best prepare for your family's financial future. Also, Sean Reilly from the Federal Times will give us an update on some of the big issues affecting federal workers. September 18, 2013
Steve Charles, co-founder and executive vice president of immixGroup and Larry Allen, president of Allen Federal Business Partners, will discuss what's ahead for contractors in 2014. September 16, 2013 (Encore presentation September 23, 2013)
Congress returns to work today with a crowded agenda and little time. Lawmakers must come to agreement on 2014 funding before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30 or risk a government shutdown. Also on the agenda: coming up with an alternative to the automatic spending constraints known as sequestration and negotiating a raise in the government's borrowing limit. There are also other measures affecting federal employees that remain to be worked out, including legislation to overhaul the cash-strapped Postal Service and a potential 1 percent pay raise for civilian federal workers.
President Barack Obama issued some good news for federal workers before the start of Labor Day weekend, calling for a 1 percent pay increase for feds in 2014. But Congress could still prevent the raises through legislation. Federal employees have had their pay frozen since January 2011.
NARFE's David Snell will talk about a health care option for feds without children and Sean Reilly from the Federal Times will give us an update on 2014 budget negotiations and other issues affecting federal employees. August 21, 2013
Deltek's Kevin Plexico and Scott Lewis of PS Partnerships, will talk about the challenges facing contractors in this tough budget environment. July 29, 2013
On this week's Capital Impact show, Bloomberg Government analysts will discuss what's ahead for Congress, the implementation of Dodd-Frank, and possible changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. July 25, 2013