Senate

• Virginia AG argues for health care repeal on Hill

  Virginia\'s attorney general took his fight against the federal health care law to Capitol Hill Wednesday, stepping onto a national stage before the House Judiciary Committee.

  Congress

  February 16, 2011
• Republican plan would cut $32B from agency budgets

  Congress must pass another funding measure to keep the government operating past March 4. House Republicans are calling for big cuts to current spending levels. This as President Obama gets set to release his 2012 budget request February 14.

  Budget

  February 04, 2011
• DorobekINSIDER Reader: WikiLeaks and the future of governments, transparency

  As the Egyptian government has pulled the plug on social media and even the Internet in response to the protests, the United States now has a bill that would arguably give the U.S. president this power as well.

  Congress

  January 31, 2011
• Two percent contractor fee proposed in bill

  The proposal is part of a bill to compensate rescuers in the Sept. 11 attacks.

  Congress

  December 22, 2010
• DoD budget to shrink in 2012

  The defense budget will shrink by at least $15 billion in fiscal year 2012, Military Times reports.

  Budget

  December 21, 2010
• Congress passes CR, headed to Obama

  Congress passed a stopgap spending measure that funds government through March 4. The bill is on its way to President Obama to be signed into law.

  Congress

  December 21, 2010
• Senate expected to pass latest CR Tuesday

  The Senate is set to vote on another continuing resolution today. This one would last until March 2011.Erik Wasson, staff writer at The Hill has more information.

  Federal Drive

  December 21, 2010
• DoD conflict of interest rule does not apply to senators

  The Washington Post reports on a double standard of a defense investment ban that applies to armed services committee staff but not to senators.

  Congress

  December 20, 2010
• Senate bill mandates agency performance goals

  A bill passed by the Senate aims to increase government accountability by creating a performance officer at each agency.

  Congress

  December 16, 2010
• House expected to vote on short-term CR

  The House is expected to vote on a temporary continuing resolution today, a House leadership aide tells Federal News Radio. The move will give lawmakers more time to consider a permanent funding bill for the…

  Budget

  December 16, 2010
• Senate passes Acquisitions Improvement Act

  The bill aims to improve acquisition workforce training, increase accountability and expand the use of the Acquisition Workforce Training Fund.

  Budget

  December 16, 2010
• Senate omnibus bill includes 2-year pay freeze

  The $1.1 trillion Senate omnibus bill would authorize President Obama\'s pay freeze proposal. But it protects against furloughs or reductions-in-force. The Senate\'s bill would replace the House\'s version, which is a continuing resolution. Lawmakers must approve a bill before Dec. 19 when the current CR expires.

  Budget

  December 14, 2010
• VTC Round-up: New telework law provides opportunity for agencies to increase VTC capabilities

  With the new telework bill signed into law, federal employees will soon have more opportunities to telework, and agencies have more incentive to invest in or increase their telepresence options. After the Senate passed the bill in September, the House followed suit in November. It was signed into law last week, and encourages federal employees to telework. Currently, about 5 percent of federal employees participate in some sort of telework plan, and agencies will have to improve their existing technology capabilities and options to meet the increase in participating employees. \"We\'re talking about bringing the government into the 21st century from a technology point of view and every other point of view,\" said bill sponsor Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) in an interview with Federal News Radio last month. \"The technology is moving so aggressively there\'s no reason not to have a good telework policy,\" Wolf said. Video teleconferencing is already a component of telework programs at many agencies, and has in some cases enabled greater allowance for teleworking. At the Defense Information Systems Agency, the desktop- and laptop- based telepresence has \"enabled our telework program to thrive, allowing DISA employees to fully participate in meetings, no matter where they are located,\" Colonel Brian Hermann, chief of the Net-Centric Enterprise Services branch. \"It allows off-site employees to \"participate fully in small-group meetings, including the use of whiteboarding and sharing presentations,\" Hermann said. Will other agencies follow suit? Stay tuned. Navy adding telepresence at National Naval Medical Center The National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda is looking to install a video teleconferencing room which will serve as the Admiral\'s Conference room. The conference room will be used for executive-level video teleconference and Board of Directors meetings, among others according to a solicitation posted to FedBizzOpps.gov.

  Congress

  December 14, 2010
• Voinovich: Agencies must improve federal management

  Sen. George Voinovich (R-Oh.) speaks to Jason Miller about ways agencies can improve federal management.

  Budget

  November 22, 2010