House of Representatives

  • In a letter sent to Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez Monday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) slams Labor's Office of Public Affairs for "frivolously" spending money on public relations contests, mascots and book clubs.

    August 27, 2014
  • Congress is in recess, which means your pay and benefits won't change -- at least for the next month. But budget conversations in September (when Congress comes back) may mean you should keep your ears open again. Congressman Chris Van Hollen is ranking member of the House Budget Committee and Democratic representative of the 8th district of Maryland. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said the most important issue you should watch is money (of course!).

    August 12, 2014
  • House Oversight and Government Reform Committee members approved the Senior Executive Service Accountability Act. The bill would reform the law governing the Senior Executive Service, in part by doubling the probation period of SES members and requiring agencies to justify the positions of SES staff every two years.

    July 25, 2014
  • The TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2014, sponsored by Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), would no longer classify some Transportation Security Administration agents in the Office of Inspection as law enforcement officers.

    July 23, 2014
  • The House has approved a massive spending bill that would slash funding for the Internal Revenue Service by more than $1 billion next year. The agency, which has been under fire for the improper targeting of conservative groups, would see its current $11.3 billion budget decline by 13 percent under the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill for fiscal 2015 passed by the House Wednesday. But that's just one of the the provisions of the bill drawing the ire of the Obama administration, which issued a notice earlier this week threatening to veto the legislation.

    July 16, 2014
  • Robert Work, the new deputy defense secretary, told members of the House Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department will experience a two-year trough in readiness as it resets its force,

    July 16, 2014
  • The General Services Administration needs to step up its leadership to take advantage of cost-saving real estate opportunities, according to House members participating in a recent round table discussion.

    July 16, 2014
  • There's growing consensus on Capitol Hill and from the Obama administration that the pay and personnel system used by the federal government since 1949 and infrequently updated is showing its age — and due for a major facelift. Lawmakers probed the General Schedule system Tuesday during a hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service and the Census.

    July 15, 2014
  • The House of Representatives passed a bill that would modernize and digitize the Federal Register, allowing the Federal Register to say goodbye to its print legacy.

    July 15, 2014
  • The Smart Savings Act would make the Lifecycle Funds the default investment option in the Thrift Savings Plan for new federal employees.

    July 15, 2014
  • A top House overseer of federal law enforcement thinks that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) should be dissolved.

    July 15, 2014
  • Congress has approved $8 billion for 26 inland waterway improvement projects. But, many of those projects won't be completed for another 50 to 60 years. The Army Corps of Engineers is looking to speed up the process through public private partnerships.

    July 14, 2014
  • In examining the viability of the Senior Executive Service, House members called out the Veterans Affairs' compensation program, with a pledge to introduce another piece of legislation to take back bonuses. The Senior Executives Association relayed concerns that talent is fleeing senior executive positions.

    July 11, 2014
  • The mid-term elections are upon us, and some people are complaining about political fatigue and gridlock. But for federal and postal workers - and retirees - these may be the good old days, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

    July 11, 2014