Pay & Benefits
OPM announces plan to improve federal hiring
Agency will create a governmentwide standard to simplify process and attract new employees.
Oversight
House Oversight Committee clears measure to sell excess federal properties
Bill would increase incentives for the federal government to unload an estimated $18 billion worth of unneeded property.
Defense
Panel sinks Navy's $2.5B request for DDG-1000 destroyer
The move essentially puts an indefinite hold on one of the Navy's biggest modernization programs.
Oversight
Contractors' offshore tax havens under more scrutiny
House Dems urge Treasury secretary to back legislation requiring overseas subsidiaries of U.S. contractors to be treated as American employers for the purpose of payroll taxes.
Defense
FBI withdraws national security letters subpoena, freeing target to talk
Case involving a San Francisco-based digital archive is first known challenge to a security letter served on a library since a 2006 law limited the FBI's power to issue such information requests.
Pay & Benefits
Dependent Clause
Once again, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is part of a targeted effort to reduce the number of Americans without health insurance.
Defense
From NextGov.com: GAO says $1 billion needed to expand employee verification system
Bill to make E-Verify mandatory would require more staff at SSA and DHS, but would cost far less than policing U.S. borders, proponents argue.
Oversight
FBI search, leaked documents lead to renewed calls for ousting of Scott Bloch
Investigation into the head of the Office of Special Counsel appears to be focused on potential obstruction of justice charges against him and the possibility he lied to Congress last year.
Defense
Panels cut Future Combat Systems funding, back larger military pay raise
Raise boosted to 3.9 percent, half a percentage point higher than the president's request.
Defense
Commander finds no evidence of Iranian training or weapons in Afghanistan
Reports from the field contradict Bush administration claims of Taliban support across the border.
Defense
Panelists press Congress to rewrite law governing federal disaster response
FEMA needs more flexibility and special provisions to handle catastrophic events, say forum participants.
Pay & Benefits
OPM chief urges next president to promote public service
Linda Springer says the retirement wave is manageable, but government must rethink its marketing strategy.
Defense
Senators decry lack of cooperation in analyzing threats
But members of the Senate Intelligence Committee also indicated that Michael Leiter would easily win confirmation as counterterrorism chief.
Oversight
FBI seizes Doan, Rice case files in raid of OSC chief's office
Raid is latest step in long investigation of Special Counsel Scott Bloch, who heads the independent office that enforces workplace laws at federal agencies.
Management
Intelligent Design
How your workplace is designed can have a big impact on how things get done.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: GSA panel calls for clarity, transparency in contract pricing
Group, formed after IT companies dropped off supply schedules because of IG oversight, voices frustration over practices and policies .
Defense