Patrick Leahy

The Defense Department wants to keep its future years defense plan secret.

Despite a proposed nearly $700 million budget decrease and several consolidations, the Justice Department wants more FTEs in fiscal 2020.

In today’s Federal Newscast, a group of nearly 40 senators are urging the appropriations committee to include back pay for federal contractors impacted by the last government shutdown, in an upcoming disaster relief package.

In today’s Federal Newscast, Senate Democrats said more than 300,000 federal employees will be furloughed if Congress can’t come to a deal on seven remaining appropriation bills.

Lawmakers have struck a deal to give the Veterans Affairs Department its biggest budget yet but still lack a long-term plan to fund the agency’s new community care program under the VA MISSION Act.

Lawmakers are still trying to find a permanent funding source for the VA MISSION Act, as the president publicly expressed his disagreement with some of the new law’s finer points.

The Defense Department is giving Congress its suggestions for the 2018 defense authorization bill. The proposal gives service members a 2.1 percent pay raise.

Leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday they were seeking answers from the Obama administration about federal law enforcement’s use of surveillance technology that sweeps up basic cellphone data.

Senate committee lawmakers voted to send a manager’s amendment to the Freedom of Information Act Improvement Act to the full body for consideration. The bill would require agencies to release documents more proactively.

By voice vote, the Senate passed the bipartisan measure that would give the department the authority to use surplus funds that are no longer needed in Iraq, where the United States has scaled back operations. The bill now goes to the House.