Marco Rubio

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board announced in 2017 it would broaden the I fund’s benchmark to include more emerging markets, including China.

Two senators are also questioning the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board’s decision to move the Thrift Savings Plan’s I fund to a new index.

In today’s Federal Newscast, the Defense Department is putting off the elimination of a major benefit for post 9/11 veterans.

The commander of the nation’s top cyber security agencies — the National Security Agency and the U.S. Cyber Command — will not confirm that he has recommended the two agencies split from one another next year.

Kaspersky Lab seeks to overturn the provision in the 2018 NDAA that prohibits agencies from using the company’s products or services.

The House will pass the VA Accountability First and Whistleblower Protection Act, clearing the way for the President to sign the bill later this week. Some lawmakers and veterans service organizations see the bill’s passage as a major win after years of debate over new accountability legislation. But federal employee groups say the bill would do more harm than good.

Both the Veterans Affairs and Justice departments believe they can easily resolve some concerns with the constitutionality of the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection. DoJ is concerned, however, that VA will run into the same issues that ultimately rendered a controversial provision on firing senior executives unconstitutional.

Members of the Senate have reached a long awaited agreement on new accountability procedures for senior executives and employees within the Veterans Affairs Department. A bipartisan group of senators introduced the Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act Thursday morning. It would change current disciplinary appeals rights for both SES and rank-and-file employees.

Some advocates of the House Veterans Affairs Committee’s new employee accountability bill say it’s different enough from previous attempts to tackle this issue and should assuage past concerns. But others fear the legislation revives familiar worries.

In today’s Top Federal headlines, new rules help gov’t hire more small business subcontractors, and GAO warns DoD and the VA don’t have a solid plan for e-record interoperability.