Oversight
Investigation finds for-profit nursing homes cut corners on safety and drain resources with financial shenanigans
The report finds that these problems are most pronounced in midsize chains that dodge public scrutiny. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says it is “unwavering in its commitment to improve safety and quality of care for the more than 1.2 million residents receiving care in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes.”
Oversight
Modernize FOIA to increase its Sunshine effect
COMMENTARY | A modern-day FOIA needs to adopt changes that are uniform and consistent across all the covered agencies, writes a former FOIA officer.
Oversight
OPM slices record retirement processing time in February
The overall retirement backlog ticked back under 20,000 last month, amid the federal government’s HR agency’s busy season.
Oversight
Bill enhancing contractor whistleblower protections advances to the Senate
The bipartisan proposal would close loopholes that have left federal contractors vulnerable to retaliation.
Oversight
Lawmakers try to reform federal cybersecurity again
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee passed a FISMA modernization proposal on to the full floor on Thursday.
Oversight
VIP health system for top U.S. officials risked jeopardizing care for soldiers
Some facilities “provided access to care for executive medicine patients over active-duty military patients that had acute needs,” according to the Pentagon’s inspector general.
Oversight
GAO says TSA's employee engagement problems linger, despite some improvements
Though the Transportation Security Administration experienced an uptick in employee engagement following the implementation of major pay increases last year, leaders have not addressed other factors contributing to low workforce morale.
Oversight
Agencies need to beef up sexual harassment training for employees, GAO says
Selected federal agencies and components of the Defense Department have only partially implemented an array of training practices aimed at preventing sexual harassment and do not sufficiently evaluate the effectiveness of their existing training programs, the watchdog found.
Oversight
House Committee wants to interview 8 VA officials in harassment probe
House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., sent a letter asking for interviews with several senior leaders as part of the committee’s ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations in one of the department’s offices.
Oversight
Senator wants USPS to address veteran medication delays
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester, D-Mt., wants answers from the Postmaster General about ongoing issues veterans have had receiving VA-prescribed medications by mail.
Oversight
GAO: Severe complications for pregnant veterans nearly doubled in the last decade
The report, which notes that Black women have a higher rate of complication, recommends that the VA collect more data on mental health, race and ethnicity to understand the reasons for the disparity.
Oversight
Federal prison employees falsified logs in case where inmate committed suicide, IG says
The Justice Department inspector general last week urged the Bureau of Prisons to adopt stricter rules governing special housing unit rounds logs after lax policies potentially impaired the ability to prosecute the employees.
Oversight
Understaffing and mismanagement contributed to hundreds of deaths in federal prisons
Deaths have increased as agency staff fail to identify suicidal risks and allow contraband into facilities, IG finds.
Oversight
VA secretary says he ‘failed’ in recognizing office harassment allegations
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough candidly admitted fault during a House committee hearing for not discerning more quickly whistleblower complaints of sexual harassment within a department office.
Oversight
FDA repeatedly rejected safety claims made after recall of a CPAP but waited to alert the public, emails show
Philips Respironics received thousands of complaints about a dangerous defect in its breathing machines but kept them secret for years as stock prices soared.
Oversight
Senate finance chair calls for inspector general’s ouster
Sen. Ron Wyden on Thursday urged President Biden to remove Social Security Administration Inspector General Gail Ennis after a series of controversies and allegations of whistleblower retaliation.
Oversight
No new agency needed for AI regulation, lawmakers say the existing framework can get it done
A single, overarching AI regulation package or a new AI regulatory agency is unlikely to emerge from Congress, members said.
Oversight
Agencies contend with new metrics, another missing hearing for IT acquisition reform
Cracks are showing in the usual, bipartisan buy-in for oversight on 2014 Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act progress.
Oversight
USPS’ feud with its regulator escalates yet again
The Postal Service is so far declining to turn over information related to its operational and workforce reforms, while accusing the watchdog of killing new business deals.
Oversight
The FTC is attacking drugmakers’ ‘patent thickets’
The agency says drugmakers illegitimately use the patents to prevent competitors from offering cheaper generic alternatives.
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