Ron Johnson

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is the new ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, part of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.…

It seems everyone would like to bend the ear of the 12 members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.

Councils of union representative and agency leaders are making employees happier and the government run more smoothly, federal personnel leaders told a Senate committee. But mid-level managers say they should be invited to the table because they’re usually the ones to implement policies.

The widespread frustration over the Office of Personnel Management’s handling of USAJobs.gov has caught lawmakers’ attention. The House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce has invited OPM, government inspectors and Monster, the company that previously ran the federal jobs site, to testify at a hearing Tuesday.

New legislation from several senators would let DoD reprogram funds without congressional approval.

The Homeland Security Department would be required to conduct and pass a full financial audit under a bill unanimously approved by the Senate on Wednesday. The DART Act requires the agency, long characterized by the Government Accountability Office as being at high-risk for waste and abuse, to reach a clean audit opinion by 2013.

A group of Democrats and Republicans, called the No Labels Caucus, plans to introduce nine bills this week focused on government effectiveness and efficiency. The strategic sourcing legislation would require agencies to save at least $10 billion a year. Senators say agencies need the right incentives to buy smarter.

Legislation aimed at improving response times and customer service across government agencies passed the House Wednesday.

Key senators on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee are seeking answers into how the contractor employee responsible for the mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard that killed 12 people obtained his security clearance. In a Sept. 18 letter, Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), requested the Office of Personnel Management’s inspector general look into what type of clearance the shooter, identified as 34-year-old Aaron Alexis, held as well as what federal agency conducted his background investigation.

Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee laud Beth Cobert’s private sector experience. But Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) said Senate leaders do not plan to debate or vote on any nominations during the shutdown.