Oversight

State of the Union, debt limit top agenda

President's address is expected to focus on jobs and fiscal responsibility.

Oversight

Obama sets new tone for regulatory process

Administration emphasizes social issues and opens rule-making to public comment, policy observer says.

Defense

Report reveals trouble with new Army combat systems

All of the technologies struggled through a recent round of testing and will require significantly more work before the service can send them to a combat unit, study finds.

Defense

Lawmakers weigh security spending options

Additional funding could go toward new full-body scanning machines at U.S. airports and technology to sort and search clues of pending terrorist attacks.

Oversight

At one-year mark, Obama shows progress on management pledges

National Journal finds the administration is following up on a number of the president’s campaign trail promises.

Defense

Withdrawal of TSA nominee raises concern about agency workforce

Lack of permanent leadership is delaying action on important issues, union officials say.

Defense

Visa, watch list changes are questioned

Some officials are worried about increased denial of visas and additional security against people coming from 14 nations identified as potential sources of terrorists.

Defense

Official: Terrorist watch list system is too bureaucratic

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair wants to make it easier to target people for secondary screening at airports.

Defense

Defense contractors are confident about fiscal 2011 budget

But industry sources predict modest increase in Pentagon spending will go largely to personnel and healthcare costs instead of new weapons systems.

Oversight

Obama goes after tax-delinquent contractors

Memo asks the IRS and OMB to find ways to keep “deadbeat” companies off the government payroll.

Defense

From Nextgov.com: Agencies step up efforts to coordinate Haiti relief

Poor telecommunications, overwhelmed airport continue to frustrate operations.

Defense

Survey: Many federal contractors saw boost despite recession

Half of respondents report increased revenue during the past year, but low profits.

Oversight

Senator: Obama favors panel on deficit

President is likely to create a commission by executive order if legislation fails, Ohio Republican says.

Oversight

Professor launches fight to save consumer protection agency

The agency won't reach its full potential if it's placed under another department such as Treasury, advocate says.

Oversight

Obama to unveil fiscal 2011 budget on Feb. 1

Budget request will follow priorities outlined in the president's State of the Union address on Jan. 27.

Defense

Forward Observer: F-35 Challenges Gates

Briefing shows it will cost almost twice as much to fly the fighter jets for one hour as it does the existing F/A-18A through D models and AV-8.

Oversight

Colossal Miscalculation

Obama and Hill Democrats should have focused much more on the economy and jobs.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: Defense launches online system to coordinate Haiti relief efforts

Web portal with multiple social networking tools was slated to test a simulated Haiti relief effort two days before the earthquake hit.

Defense

Defense takes aim at contractor business systems

Proposed rule would allow contracting officers to withhold fees if systems for accounting, purchasing or estimating are deemed deficient.

Oversight

Feds are left out of excise tax compromise

A proposed five-year delay of the Cadillac tax does not apply to most federal employees’ health care plans.