Pay & Benefits

More workers would get locality pay under OPM proposal

About 15,000 employees in outlying areas around big cities could win eligibility for additional locality pay.

Defense

Port security bill approved by Senate

Management

House votes to curtail job competitions

Lawmakers support a House member in his second attempt to force the Bush administration back to the drawing board.

Management

System Failure

Prewar management decisions and postwar miscalculations contributed to abuses at Abu Ghraib prison.

Tech

Citizen satisfaction with some federal Web sites lags

Panelists say improving sites can save agencies money.

Defense

Senate panel rejects fixed term for national intelligence director

Governmental Affairs Committee also rejects move to give proposed director personnel authority over all intelligence agencies.

Defense

Covert tests reveal airport screening failures

New report finds problems with most aspects of passenger and baggage screening, but says the Transportation Security Administration is working to make improvements.

Oversight

Time to Play Offense

If Kerry is to take the upper hand, he'll need to much more aggressively attack Bush.

Pay & Benefits

Pentagon can't justify reserve retirement overhaul, report says

Legislative proposals to revamp the military reserve retirement system might end up costing the government more than it gains in retention, according to GAO.

News

Federal bank examiners could get new post-employment restrictions

Bipartisan bill calls for for "cooling off period" before certain examiners could work for financial institutions they had overseen.

Pay & Benefits

Pay raise may not kick in until next spring

A 3.5 percent civil service raise is likely to pass, House Democratic leader says, but probably not in time to take effect in January.

Defense

TSA issues draft order to airlines for passenger records

Airline officials and the public have 30 days to respond, after which TSA plans to begin testing new passenger prescreening program.

News

Critics say USDA, HHS bow to lobbyists on food pyramid

One proposed solution: shift the process of setting dietary guidelines to the National Academies of Science.

Defense

Defense fine-tunes new personnel system regulations

Union bargaining will be limited and civilian personnel rules will be more flexible.

Management

EEOC awards $4.9 million contract for customer service center

Choice of Virginia contractor stirs criticism.

Defense

House chairman may slow Homeland bill in customs fee dispute

"Blue slip" maneuver could kill the entire fiscal 2005 Homeland Security appropriations measure.

Management

Senate appropriators question funding for Patent Office overhaul

Committee report questions whether the agency needs to hire "hundreds, if not thousands, of additional personnel."