Defense

FEMA says it will meet hiring goals by hurricane season

Officials say local authorities will bear more responsibility during responses to this year's storms.

Management

Army Corps delays announcing winner of contest for IT jobs

Number of positions involved has shrunk from 1,350 to 1,100 as employees await result.

Defense

Defense business modernization agency wins support

GAO sees improvement and members of Congress are working to get funding restored.

Defense

Pentagon faulted for decision to cancel fighter's alternate engine

Decision focused on short-term savings from halting the program and failed to consider the long-term benefits of competition, GAO says.

Defense

Wiretapping battle continues in Congress, courts

Senate panel plans later this week to debate and approve a compromise version of legislation to create an oversight process.

Defense

Pentagon late payments hurt small contractors

GAO encourages Defense to invest more in its Web-based contract payment system.

Defense

Negotiators agree to hold emergency funding to $94.5 billion

Move will avoid a fight with the White House, which had threatened to veto the package if it exceeded Bush's request.

Defense

Senator and storied CIA officer key to Hayden’s success

Nominee’s likely deputy would be an asset in helping to restore the intelligence agency’s weakened spying capabilities.

Defense

TSA announces strengthening of air cargo screening rules

Shippers would bear some of the cost; House Homeland Security Committee Democrat says process still would not be airtight.

Defense

CIA nominee questioned on citizen surveillance

Senators upset at lack of early disclosure on spying program; also grill Michael Hayden on faulty pre-Iraq war intelligence.

Defense

House vote slows Air Force bid to retire aging aircraft

Armed Services panel chairman says plan to use money from retirements for upgrades and new purchases is too risky.

Defense

DHS officials grilled on vacancies in high-level jobs

Lawmaker says FEMA is at only 73 percent of the staff level it needs, just weeks away from hurricane season.

Defense

Bush shares details of $1.95 billion border security funding request

President seeks $756 million to deploy 6,000 National Guard troops and $410 million to hire and train 1,000 Border Patrol agents.

Defense

Panel demands better oversight of DHS contractors

Congressman suggests investigating backgrounds of executive officers and board directors of small companies before making awards.

Defense

Election to represent Customs, Border employees under way

Federal court denies Agriculture union’s request for delay.

Tech

OMB official: Too soon to judge computer security law

Critics say 2002 Federal Information Security Management Act is largely a paperwork exercise.

Defense

Navy details huge unmanned aerial vehicle program

Initiative has grabbed lawmakers’ attention; language in fiscal 2007 defense bill encourages systems development.

Defense

Rumsfeld presses for resolution of impasse on supplemental funding

Neither the White House nor House leaders want the final price tag to exceed $94.5 billion.

Defense

House panels OK conflicting plans to fix FEMA

One measure would make the agency independent again; other would keep it within the Homeland Security Department.

Defense

Panel approves Homeland Security spending bill

Bill funds DHS personnel system below president’s request.