Oversight
Senate appropriator says he has the votes to pass catch-all spending bill
Package caps discretionary spending at $1.108 trillion, the level that Republicans demanded this year.
Oversight
Solutions offered to reduce delays in confirming presidential appointees
Brookings scholars examine why previous reform proposals have been stalled by congressional partisanship and paperwork burdens.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: VA rolls out ‘smart home’ project to rehabilitate brain injury patients
Florida hospital uses technology to help veterans relearn basic but important tasks such as doing the laundry and shaving.
Pay & Benefits
Survey: Managers anticipate pay boosts in spite of freeze
Respondents indicate retirement wave could be smaller than expected.
Defense
Obama to offer assessment of Afghan war on Thursday
President is confident the United States is on track and can meet its commitment to begin a conditions-based drawdown next July, press secretary says.
Defense
Afghanistan envoy Holbrooke dies
Obama commemorates the top U.S. civilian involved in the war effort as "simply one of the giants of American foreign policy."
Oversight
Independents’ Day
The tax deal is just the kind of compromise that independents wish Washington would do more often.
Defense
Defense Logistics Agency relieves key commander
Air Force Brig. Gen. Scott Chambers oversaw troop support contracts worth $14.5 billion.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: Aftermath of WikiLeaks flap underscores vulnerabilities of the cloud
Denial-of-service attacks show the risks to operations when agencies rely on third parties to host IT services, say cybersecurity experts.
Oversight
GSA aims to make agency websites more user-friendly
Program uses inexpensive testing methods to identify the most serious problems with federal sites.
Defense
Navy delays Littoral Combat Ship contract award
Original Dec. 14 deadline has been extended to Dec. 30 to give Congress more time to consider plans to award 10 ships apiece to two contractors.
Pay & Benefits
Senate considers extending transit benefits
Tax bill would keep subsidy at $230 per month for another year.
News
Automatic enrollment boosts TSP participation
Few new hires have opted out of retirement savings, officials say.
Oversight
Energy secretary shoots down rumors that he plans to leave
Steven Chu says he will stick around as long as President Obama wants him.
Tech