Oversight
Budget cutting a difficult task
Composition of cuts in budget agreement shows the difficulties of reducing spending for the White House and Congress.
Defense
White House launches major effort to support military families
Initiative targets employment, education and health of service members, spouses and kids.
Oversight
What's in the spending bill?
Labor, health, and education programs were cut by $5.5 billion; Defense got a raise.
Defense
Navy secretary announces special review team for contracts
Move comes in the wake of a bribery and kickback scandal.
News
Loud opposition unlikely to scuttle budget deal
Even vociferous opponents don't want to be responsible for a shutdown of government if the deal falls through.
Oversight
Death Wish?
Republicans pushing to revamp Medicare could find themselves voted out of office in the next election.
News
From Nextgov.com: Congress, administration grapple with cyber defense authority
White House hasn't yet signaled how it might empower the Pentagon to avert a cyberattack on civilian networks.
Oversight
Legislation would reorganize Federal Acquisition Institute
Bipartisan bill has FAI reporting directly to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy.
Defense
Drug cartels seek to exploit corrupt federal agents
Homeland Security has enough challenges in border enforcement without officers taking bribes.
Pay & Benefits
Bill would tie lawmakers’ access to retirement benefits to Social Security age
Lawmakers would have to wait until they turn the Social Security retirement age -- typically between 65 and 67 -- to tap their pensions.
Oversight
Lawmaker proposes extending probation for new federal employees
Rep. Ross would double current one-year period and define performance criteria more precisely.
Oversight
Budget deal faces one last hurdle
Lawmakers still have to formally vote on handshake agreement reached at midnight Friday to fund agencies for the rest of fiscal 2011.
Defense
Tough task awaits next Defense secretary
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is one candidate to replace Robert Gates, who is expected to step down this summer.
Tech