Hubbard Radio Washington DC, LLC. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee wants to get a closer look at how many political appointees the Office of Personnel Management has converted to career employees over the past nine months.
Some documents related to veterans' disability claims are getting thrown out at Veterans Affairs regional offices, but the VA and its inspector general disagree whether the problem is a systemic issue or one that can be explained by human error.
Veterans and agency hiring managers have mixed thoughts on the success of the veterans preference program. But there is some consensus that current regulations are too confusing and complex for both veterans and agencies.
The Veterans Affairs Department says nearly 97 percent of veterans received an appointment at a VA medical center within 30 days. But the Government Accountability Office says otherwise. GAO's own study suggests average wait times range from 22 to 71 days for an appointment.
Negotiations between the House and Senate VA committees over a new veterans omnibus have stalled, as the Veterans Affairs Department releases more details in its plan to change accountability procedures for its senior executives.
Following an investigation by VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, the agency is recommending a combination of reduced pay and suspension for four VA leaders involved in relocation “impropriety.”
Congress is beginning to get a clearer picture of the Veterans Affairs Department's new Choice Program, which lets veterans access private sector community care providers if they choose. But members on the House VA Committee question the department's continued involvement in scheduling appointments for veterans.
The House Veterans Affairs Committee is considering legislation to give the VA secretary the authority to set pay and performance appraisals for medical directors. It also includes several provisions that are designed to help the VA attract and hire more doctors and nurses.
More than half of current and former senior executives at the Veterans Affairs Department oppose the VA's proposal to reclassify some SES members under Title 38, according to the preliminary results of a recent survey from the Senior Executives Association.
Some members of Congress are taking aim at the Merit Systems Protection Board, after it released its third decision in nearly a month to reverse punishments for senior executives at the Veterans Affairs Department. MSPB is standing by its decisions, arguing that it must comply with the 2014 Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act.
VA Secretary Bob McDonald and Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson are working with Congress on a proposal that would strip senior agency executives of their rights to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board when they face disciplinary action. But the proposal faces growing criticism from the Senior Executives Association and others.
The Veterans Affairs Department is asking for a 5 percent boost in across-the-board funding next fiscal year. But Congress is questioning whether new VA programs are doing enough to solve an array of tough problems at the department.
The nominee for the Office of Inspector General for Veterans Affairs is set to appear Nov. 17 before a Senate committee to answer questions and talk about the oversight role.
A group of lawmakers are backing legislation to make it easier for veterans to get approved for business contracts under the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA is also in the midst of taking public comment on proposed changes to its verification guidelines.