Senate
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An amendment to the Freedom of Information Act appeared to sail through the Senate. The goal is to hold agencies more accountable for disclosing records and create a more uniform system for the public to file FOIA requests. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill unanimously. Sean Vitka, federal policy manager at the Sunlight Foundation, joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with analysis of what the bill would do.
November 25, 2014 -
Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) promises to avoid another government shutdown. Lawmakers have until mid-December to turn that promise into reality. Or not. It's a good idea to be prepared. The Government Accountability Office reviewed how agencies handled last year's lapse in appropriations. Yvonne Jones, the agency's director of Strategic Issues, explained the findings on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin.
November 24, 2014 -
Everyone with a stake in the federal budget is looking toward Dec. 11. That's when the continuing resolution runs out, and Congress will have to decide what to do next. Beyond that, federal agencies are looking at two long years of a Republican Congress and Democratic White House. Will it be the immoveable rock facing the irresistible force? Or can good things still happen? Don Kettl, professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and long-time watcher of all things federal, offered some insight on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin.
November 24, 2014 -
The government should be smaller, the Postal Service's finances need to be addressed once and for all, and it may be time to rethink the civil service system. This is all according to Senator Ron Johnson. The Wisconsin Republican will replace Delaware Democrat Tom Carper as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in December. On the Federal Drive with Tom Temin, Senator Johnson discussed his priorities.
November 21, 2014 -
A Senate committee heard testimony Tuesday from retired Rear Adm. Earl Gay on his nomination to be the Office of Personnel's first deputy director in three years.
November 18, 2014 -
Wednesday was a productive day for Congress as the House sent two bills to President Barack Obama and a pair of critical DHS nominees head to the Senate floor.
November 13, 2014 -
The campaigning is done and the votes are in. Republicans will soon gain control of the Senate for the first time since 2007, and they've widened their lead in the House. So what can feds expect from their newly elected officials? Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to share her perspective.
November 06, 2014 -
Federal workforce issues could face challenges as a result of yesterday's elections. Republicans beginning in January will regain a majority in Senate while adding 14 seats to their lead in the House. What will this all mean to federal employees and agencies? Dan Blair is president and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with analysis.
November 05, 2014 -
The Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) is closer than ever to becoming law. Key Senate and House lawmakers have reached an agreement on the bill. Federal News Radio's Executive Editor Jason Miller joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with details on what has to happen next for FITARA to reach the President.
November 05, 2014 -
Federal News Radio examines what the winners of the midterm elections in Maryland, DC and Virginia could do for federal employees.
November 04, 2014 -
ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A maverick Republican senator criticized faulty missile defenses, unneeded airports and golf course repairs among the projects completed on the taxpayers’ tab in his annual collection of billions…
October 22, 2014 -
The next steps in defense acquisition reform may come from the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Its Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations asks experts from all parts of the defense acquisition community to tell them where the committee should go next to streamline defense acquisition. Beth McGrath of Deloitte is former Deputy Chief Management Officer at the Defense Department and one of the contributors to the committee's efforts. She worked to institute what she called a cost culture. She didn't use that phrase in her comments to the committee, but Francis Rose asked her if that concept was written between the lines on In Depth.
October 09, 2014 -
Vermont and Rhode Island lawmakers were among those in Congress who consistently voted in favor of federal workers and retirees, according to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association's latest scorecard.
October 02, 2014 -
Congress is out of here, and members won't be back until after the November elections. So what did Congress accomplish? Julia Ziegler, Federal News Radio's web manager, shared your thoughts on the issue on the Federal Drive with guest host Emily Kopp.
September 26, 2014 -
The Senate left Washington without confirming several of President Barack Obama's nominees for the executive branch, including Carolyn Colvin, his choice to lead the Social Security Administration.
September 22, 2014