Oversight
Consumer bureau nomination remains divisive
Senate panel’s approval of Cordray buoys consumer groups, but GOP opponents stand firm.
Defense
Nuclear crises renew regulator's relevance
NRC chief Gregory Jaczko keeps the focus on safety amid political charges around Yucca Mountain plans and industry influence.
Defense
FBI to launch nationwide facial recognition service
Four states will begin using the service in January; immigrant rights groups worry Homeland Security will abuse the biometric database.
Pay & Benefits
OPM expands affinity benefits for same-sex domestic partners
More plans under FEHBP will provide coverage in 2012.
Defense
Romney: Don’t cut Pentagon budget
GOP presidential contender says any savings from reducing administrative costs should be invested in the military.
Defense
Obama issues preparedness goals
Plan relies heavily on cooperation among state, local and federal governments, and boosts the roles and responsibilities of the private sector.
Defense
Obama order will require agencies to better secure classified info
So-called "WikiLeaks" executive order has been long awaited by the national security establishment.
Pay & Benefits
Complicating Factors
A cautionary tale of how federal retirement benefits, survivor annuities and Social Security can become tangled.
Pay & Benefits
Special counsel recommends reforms to law covering improper political activities
Federal employees would not automatically be removed from their jobs for violating the Hatch Act under proposed changes.
News
Data center consolidation savings estimate increased to $5B
New CIO Steven VanRoekel expands the definition of a data center to include the government's full IT infrastructure.
Oversight
Energy official in charge of program that gave Solyndra a loan is leaving
Secretary Steven Chu says Jonathan Silver, who is heading to a think tank, would have been welcome to stay on if he'd wanted to.
News
Cuts to IRS funding would increase deficit, union says
The agency needs resources to collect taxes, Congress is warned.
News
IRS hiring response time could still be faster, despite progress, IG finds
Improvements to hiring software and employee training have helped, report says.
Pay & Benefits
Spending bills threaten Foreign Service pay and hiring
Congress urged to cut programs rather than people to keep diplomatic readiness intact.
Oversight
Agencies can improve suspension and debarment process, says GAO
Six agencies are flagged as inactive in listing contractors guilty of fraud or poor performance.
Oversight
Suspension and debarment could discourage rebate schemes
The threat of no longer doing business with the government might prevent food service contractors from overbilling USDA and Defense, witnesses tell Senate panel.
News
The Week in Comments: COLAs, the budget and comedy's place on this site
The best in reader reaction to recent articles.
News