Pay & Benefits
Senate panel votes to give civilians higher raise than military
Appropriations bill also retains language introduced last year to limit public-private competitions.
Management
House committee approves bills to sunset programs
Votes fall along party lines with key Democrat concerned commissions would be partisan, put agencies on “extermination” schedules.
Tech
Proposed database would track federal spending
House and Senate bills differ in whether contracts would be included in addition to grants.
Tech
VA chief opposes making CIO an undersecretary
A House committee approved a bill Thursday elevating the IT chief's status.
Management
Chances poor for line-item veto legislation
House passed its version of the measure last month, but White House has not been pushing the bill as hard in the Senate.
News
New campaign targets college students for federal jobs
On-campus poster and Web campaign will feature the stories of young civil servants.
Defense
Panel moves bill to deal with pandemic, health disasters
Measure would make the secretary of HHS the lead federal official responsible for public health and medical responses to emergencies.
Defense
Army leaders weigh tactics to protect prized program
Despite budget shortfalls that could exceed $20 billion annually, service tries to maintain modernization program.
Pay & Benefits
A Year in the Life-Cycle Funds
Option introduced last summer outperforms the most popular basic funds, and keeps employees from chasing returns.
Defense
House committee approves DHS authorization bill
Measure is important in giving the department guidance and to show panel is exercising oversight, ranking member says.
Management
Panel debates competing bills to 'sunset' federal programs
Critics say unelected members of review commissions could eliminate programs without public input.
Management
Senators weigh bill on disclosure of government spending
Requirement to report procurement spending may prove sticking point.
Defense
DHS pledges to update purchase card regulations
Big-screen TV, dog booties and meals-ready-to-eat bought with purchase cards still languish on shelves.
News
Veteran-owned businesses squabble over definitions
GAO upholds set-aside contract even though winner didn’t qualify at time of award.
Tech
VA’s top lawyer resigns
General counsel’s memorandums on attempts to centralize authority over IT security had engendered criticism.
Defense
DHS responds to criticism of database on vulnerable infrastructure
Inspectors ignored feedback on report concluding database is rife with low-risk targets, management official says.
Tech