Defense
Panel backs annual reports on disabled veteran employment complaints
Bill would require the secretary of Labor to share data with the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, and the attorney general.
Defense
Budget office says military-civilian pay gap dwindling
Military basic pay lags slightly behind civilian salaries, but food and housing allowances make up the difference.
Defense
IG praises post-Katrina volunteer program
More than 1,000 employees from various federal agencies pitched in on a voluntary basis.
Defense
Panel supports changes to Coast Guard modernization
Bill would require the agency to remove an industry team as the troubled project’s lead systems integrator within four years.
Defense
Immigration bill blocked as Senate undecideds join foes
Supporters fall 14 votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate.
Defense
Lawmakers push Homeland Security to track visitor departures
Agency says it plans to have exit element in place by 2009.
Defense
Panel moves to help State handle influx of passport requests
Measure waives an earlier congressional mandate that all new hires be used to fill State Department vacancies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Defense
Locals pan DHS decision to ditch communications project
County officials upset by phase-out of tool to distribute disaster management software and establish interoperability standards.
Defense
Military stifles Web-based health records system
Defense medical agencies place priority on systems costing hundreds of times as much.
Defense
Panel finds mixed results for effort to train Iraqi forces
Democrats complain of "considerable difficulties" in getting information and documents from the Defense Department during the review.
Defense
Border tech program is plagued by early setbacks
First phase of program, which entails deploying mobile surveillance towers, misses deadline for becoming operational.
Defense
Border Patrol looks to hire more women, minorities
Agency sees expansion as an opportunity to increase diversity.
Defense
Lawmakers chide Marines for expeditionary vehicle woes
Program has consumed $2.3 billion already, and vehicles will cost $17 million each -- nearly three times the unit cost estimated years ago.
Defense
Coast Guard extends fleet upgrade contract
Lawmakers advance bill that would require the agency to take over management of the program by October 2011.
Defense
New licenses get green light amid passport snarl
Accepting licenses to meet border security requirements could reduce the workload the State Department will face in issuing new passports.
Defense
USDA, Homeland Security urged to coordinate bird flu responses
GAO says agencies must define their roles in the case of a major outbreak, to head off a possible pandemic.
Defense
Immigration measure clears one hurdle, but others await
Legislation still has to pass at least two more 60-vote tests in the Senate this week, and faces opposition from conservatives on the House side.
Defense
Bush team to pick few fights over immigration bill add-ons
White House is opposed to one potential amendment, which would ease requirements for businesses to verify the legal status of employees.
Defense
Dems weigh new attempt to change course of Iraq war
Provision could be attached to the Defense spending bill, in a move some say is risky.
Defense