Oversight

Trade group lobbies to loosen requirements for disadvantaged business status

Aerospace Industries Association says net worth limit is restrictive and outpaced by inflation.

Oversight

Collaborative Internet tools making inroads into intel agencies

Problems and skepticism still abound, but continued information sharing should win over doubters, says ODNI official.

Oversight

Officials: Government’s finances still are not in order, despite progress

Financial overseers say agencies have improved money management, but have a long way to go.

Oversight

House narrowly approves budget over Republican protests

Measure includes $1.013 trillion in discretionary spending to be doled out among the 12 annual appropriations bills; projects a $340 billion deficit in fiscal 2009.

Defense

Lawmaker seeks to require military to buy U.S.-bred bomb-sniffing dogs

Most military dogs now come from fabled European bloodlines.

Oversight

Obama, McCain give boost to contract data legislation

Presidential rivals team up to back bill increasing information available through USASpending.gov.

Oversight

Senate passes fiscal 2009 budget resolution along party lines

Measure would cap discretionary spending at $1.013 trillion, $21 billion more than President Bush requested.

Oversight

House passes SES diversity legislation

Bill creates an office within OPM that will collect data about senior executives.

Oversight

Critics want panel to more closely scrutinize DHS E-Verify initiative

Department has not asked advisory committee to report on program enabling employers to electronically verify the legal status of newly hired workers.

Oversight

Report: Justice collects more fines but funding stays flat

Inspector general has recovered $4.7 million in fines and restitutions since October, despite a relatively level budget and staff size.

Defense

Senator wants post created to curb rising weapons costs

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said he would model the position on the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation, who oversees tests for major acquisition programs.

Oversight

Senate could vote soon on budget resolution

Vote could come as early as Wednesday, says Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, D-N.D.

Defense

State Department taps Foreign Service veteran to be acting IG

Harold Geisel served as acting IG in 1994 and also has held other senior management jobs at the department.

Oversight

Gearing Up

Democrats must be prepared to trot out Plan B, which hinges on the distinct possibility that Florida will slip out of reach again.

Oversight

Research group predicts moderate growth in IT spending during next five years

Uncertain economy, new administration may temper technology spending.

Defense

Forward Observer: Our Pricey Military

The country's small, high-paid, all-volunteer force just does not have the staying power to wage long wars.

Defense

Coast Guard reaches milestone in massive equipment modernization project

Commandant Thad Allen talks about the troubled "Deepwater" program now that the service has received its first new long-range cutter in 36 years.

Oversight

OPM suspension of electronic retirement calculator blamed on contractor shortcomings

In a recent round of testing, agency says, only five of 61 functions passed.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: IRS reports slight increase in e-filing rate

Agency has four years to hike the percentage of electronically filed tax returns it receives to meet a congressional requirement.

Oversight

Nonprofit group helps contractors navigate new ethics rules

A 134-page document provides guidance to firms that need assistance complying with federal regulations.