Oversight
Watchdog agency calls for 3.5 percent increase in staff
Personnel shortages delayed 21 percent of GAO investigations in fiscal 2008.
Oversight
Cash-strapped Patent and Trademark Office awaits new leadership
Agency faces a backlog of more than 750,000 applications.
Oversight
Report: Congress spent $20 billion on earmarks for fiscal 2009
Alaska led the nation in pork with $322 per capita.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: Report concludes internal e-mail compromised airport security test
Inspector general concludes message sent by TSA official alerted airport screeners to test, despite agency's claims to the contrary.
Pay & Benefits
Pay for performance debate centers on incentives
Labor leaders say existing General Schedule System provides a variety of ways of rewarding performance.
Oversight
Inspector general says IRS must do more to prevent fraudulent refunds
Head of the agency’s criminal investigation division calls IG’s methodology “biased.”
Defense
Lieberman wants U.S.-Mexico border security funding in supplemental
Senator said he will seek an amendment that would add $550 million in border security funds to stop weapons and cash from being smuggled to the drug cartels.
Oversight
USDA secretary fills key posts in department
Janey Thornton, a former school nutrition director in Kentucky, will serve as deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services.
Oversight
Pressure is on agencies to manage stimulus construction funds
Billions of dollars are at stake, but track record in overseeing such projects is decidedly mixed.
Oversight
USDA officials pitch in to help with White House garden
Secretary Tom Vilsack helps in planting, while scientists plan to provide parasite-resistant honey bees for pollination.
Oversight