Defense
Lawmakers seek more trade inspectors
Decline in number of inspectors could slow progress on program offering importers incentives for extra security measures, legislator argues.
Management
Volume mailers look for service agreements in postal bill
Inclusion of such language in the reform measure would codify practices already in place, and establish guidelines.
Tech
House committee pushes changes to IT security law
Agency CIOs could receive new authority for enforcement.
Defense
FEMA outsources identity verification for disaster assistance
Agency also plans to issue checks, rather than debit cards.
Management
Longest-serving Transportation secretary discusses career
Norman Mineta lists establishment of TSA in the aftermath of Sept. 11 among his proudest accomplishments.
Management
Acquisition panel agrees on need for training funds
Panelists vote against recommending a merger of the Defense Acquisition University and the Federal Acquisition Institute.
Tech
DHS names permanent privacy officer
Hugo Teufel will oversee compliance and protection of personal information.
Management
White House vows to keep pushing for line-item veto bill
Democrats nearly united against veto bill and broader package of budget reforms.
Tech
Oversight agencies squabble over list of high-risk IT projects
GAO seeks a consistent, structured process for updating the list, while OMB argues for more flexibility.
Management
Senate panel OKs spending bills covering eight Cabinet departments
Measures shift $9.1 billion from the White House's Pentagon request to domestic programs.
Defense
TSA employee appeals firing for refusal to pat down passengers
Worker says he objected to conducting the searches on personal and religious grounds.
Management
Lawmakers write IRS in opposition to tax collections outsourcing plan
House Transportation-Treasury spending bill includes language barring agency from contracting with the private sector for collections.
Tech
Panel moves to tighten data security for veterans
Bill would require the VA secretary to hire an outside agency to conduct a risk analysis after security breaches.
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.
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.
Management
Panel debates competing bills to 'sunset' federal programs
Critics say unelected members of review commissions could eliminate programs without public input.
Management