Josh Hawley

Good Ship NDAA maneuvers steadily through congressional shoals

It’s now on the House floor and forming in the Senate committee: The National Defense Authorization Act for 2025.

Congress

A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus sits near a screen showing China and U.S. flags as she listens to a speech by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Lanting Forum on bringing China-U.S. relations back to the right track, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing on Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the U.S. Monday to lift restrictions on trade and people-to-people contacts while ceasing what Beijing considers unwarranted interference in the areas of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Senators request review of consulting firms’ dual US-China relationships

Federal Newscast

Congress moves to reauthorize CISA’s cyber defense program

Cybersecurity

Several military branches poised to miss recruitment targets for fiscal 2022

Defense

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is reflected in the glasses of FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell as they talk Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn., before leaving for a tour of flood damage. Heavy rains over the weekend caused flooding in Middle Tennessee and have resulted in multiple deaths as homes and rural roads were washed away. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Administrator Criswell taking ‘deep dive’ analysis for FEMA’s future staffing model

Hiring/Retention

Two agency inspectors general got salaries that busted legal limits on political employee pay

Intelligence Community

(Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP)

FILE - In this May 13, 2021, file photo, Rob Portman, R-Ohio, speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on unaccompanied minors at the southern border, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Portman announced earlier this year that he would not run again. The Senate primary in Ohio is still a year away, but Republican contenders already are working furiously to cast themselves as Trump's favorite in the open race. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP, File)

Senators see room in FedRAMP bill to address supply chain security threats

Cloud Computing

Chairman Sen. Gary Peters., D-Mich., speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs & Senate Rules and Administration joint hearing on Capitol Hill, Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, to examine the January 6th attack on the Capitol. (Erin Scott/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

First Look

Senators introduce bill to incentivize agencies to lease space they don’t need

Facilities/Construction

Senate confirms Ahuja as first permanent OPM director in more than a year

People

Men is typing on laptop computer keyboard

The high-wire balancing act of returning to work

Federal Report

Homeland Security Secretary nominee Alejandro Mayorkas testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Bill Clark/Pool via AP)

Biden’s DHS pick vows to make employee morale his ‘highest priority’

People

Senator wants to give FTC more firepower to take on big tech

In today’s Federal Newscast, Senator Josh Hawley unveils a plan to give the Federal Trade Commission more authority to help regulate companies like Facebook…

Federal Newscast

Move agency headquarters out of DC? Only if you want them to fail

Moving people out of D.C. has been proposed before, but commentator and former Homeland Security CHCO Jeff Neal says the HIRE Act’s reasoning is flawed.

Commentary

TSP reviewing planned I fund changes amid bipartisan congressional concern

TSP

After a bipartisan group of senators expressed concern, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board is reconsidering its plans to expand the I fund benchmark to emerging markets. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has said he’ll introduce new legislation to prevent the TSP from moving the I fund to this benchmark.