Defense

Bush calls for greater federal, military role in emergency response

"Americans have every right to expect a more effective response in a time of emergency," president says in address to nation.

Defense

GOP senators urge appointment of reconstruction czar

More than two dozen senators call on president to appoint single official to oversee federal spending on recovery efforts.

Management

Move to lift ban on VA competitive sourcing prompts opposition

Senate Democrat works to keep statutory prohibition in place.

Management

Smaller agencies biggest winners in 'Best Places to Work' survey

Homeland Security Department ranks near the bottom of the list.

Management

On the Spot

The government’s personnel chiefs are in the right place at the right time to lead reform.

Management

OMB publishes guidelines on emergency procurement authorities

Rules are designed to stem abuse of higher purchase card threshold.

Management

OMB review of FEMA response program failed to send up red flag

Evaluators rated program as adequate.

Tech

Report: FBI lacks blueprint for technology upgrade

Bureau’s IT modernization project suffers from poor contracting practices, GAO reports.

Management

GAO: Managers should focus on employee performance

Supervisors should use performance data to reward outstanding workers, report concludes.

Defense

Bush backs effort to reassess federal role in disaster response

Says Congress should examine the relationship between federal, state, local officials in aftermath of catastrophes.

Defense

Procurement provision in hurricane aid bill raises eyebrows

Administration officials and lawmakers working to ensure that emergency authorities are used properly.

Defense

Bush unveils steps to help victims with federal benefits

Every affected household will be granted $2,000 in emergency disaster relief.

Management

Survey: Civilian employees’ pay growth outpaces that of contractors

Report shows the average federal employee is earning a bigger salary increase in 2005 than the typical contractor.

Management

Lawmakers hold off on endorsing EEOC reorganization

House subcommittee chief withholds opinion on changes until the results of a GAO study are in.

Defense

Congress weighs creating centralized unit for recovery operations

As lawmakers consider another $50 billion for Katrina recovery efforts, two senators want to create a new federal entity to manage the relief work.

Defense

Agencies grapple with managing displaced citizens

After evacuations, government faces huge challenge of providing long-term housing, education and jobs for Hurricane Katrina survivors.

Defense

Survey shows mixed feelings on disaster response

More than 40 percent of Americans said federal agencies had done a bad or terrible job, but 35 percent rated the response effort as good or great.

Tech

Report: EPA should create a centralized online data system

The Environmental Protection Agency’s decentralized facility reporting systems should be linked with a master system, coalition says.

Management

Mission Control

NASA faces more than technical challenges when it tries to launch a space shuttle.

Defense

Bush pledges to investigate administration response

Vice President Dick Cheney, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff dispatched to identify "bureaucratic obstacles" to relief effort.