Oversight
Energy IG issues management alert over weatherization program
Lax controls and poor oversight jeopardize effectiveness of $5 billion stimulus program.
Oversight
Administration announces finalists in cost-cutting contest
Four proposals to boost efficiency make the last round; President Obama will include the winning idea in his fiscal 2011 budget.
Oversight
Managers are unsure government can handle expanded health care role
Survey respondents expect legislation will mean increased responsibility, but aren’t confident federal agencies are up to the challenge.
Defense
Forward Observer: Back To Tit For Tat
Al-Qaeda and the Taliban will respond sooner or later to Obama's surge, much like the Vietcong did during the escalation of the Vietnam War.
Oversight
Audit unit says it helped GSA save hundreds of millions of dollars
Implementation of the economic stimulus package is among the challenges the IG addressed from April to September.
Defense
Agencies join forces to stop arms trafficking to Mexico
ATF and ICE are putting aside their differences and pursuing a coordinated strategy to stem the flow of guns and drugs across the border.
Defense
Surge will include thousands of mine-resistant vehicles
Pentagon has already tapped Oshkosh Corp. to build 6,219 of the vehicles by April.
Oversight
House Dems consider two-part omnibus plan for endgame
Continuing resolution expires Dec. 18 and seven appropriations bills are pending.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: White House cyber coordinator should have budget authority, former officials say
The current decentralized budget process hinders the administration’s ability to develop and implement a governmentwide cyber strategy .
Oversight
Administration goes after noncompliant Recovery Act recipients
OMB chief orders agencies to identify and possibly punish entities that failed to report their spending.
Oversight
DHS still struggling with management
Annual IG audit finds limited progress on major management challenges.
Oversight
Bill would require agencies to recognize security clearances governmentwide
Bipartisan legislation is similar to 2008 executive order aimed at streamlining background checks on federal employees and contractors.
Defense
Speaker dislikes surtax to pay for war
Pelosi also says House members will seek more details on Obama's Afghanistan plan so they can "make some judgment about the nature of the threat."
Defense
Lawmaker hopes Northrop won't drop tanker bid
Decision to pull out would be a "blow to the program," Rep. John Murtha says.
Oversight
Administration officials defend science in wake of ‘climategate’
Pirated e-mails raise concerns about scientific integrity of data underlying energy policies.
Oversight
Contracts might not be getting enough credit for stimulus job creation
Private sector analysts find Recovery Act contracts helped generate 407,000 jobs to date; project 1 million more next year.
Oversight
From Nextgov.com: VA nixes troubled tech projects
The department ends or slashes funding for 15 IT projects as part of new accountability program.
Defense
Lawmakers eye Afghanistan withdrawal date, funding
Senate panel holds the first in a series of congressional hearings on Obama's decision to deploy 30,000 more troops.
Defense
Obama says Afghan surge will cost $30 billion in fiscal 2010
Debate begins over how the administration will come up with the money.
Defense