Defense

VA Secretary nominee gets favorable Senate hearing

Retired Lt. Gen. James Peake says he will fight for needed money for health care if confirmed.

Oversight

OMB spells out best practices for incentive contracts

Procurement administrator encourages agencies to conduct risk and cost-benefit analyses, define performance metrics.

Defense

Army facility wins national quality award

Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center becomes first federal agency to receive prestigious Malcolm Baldrige award.

Defense

Democrats drafting massive budget package

Spending measure could total $520 billion for 15 agencies; effort is designed to end budget stalemate.

Oversight

GAO validates use of no-cost contract

Maryland contractor offered federal agencies free event planning services in exchange for ability to collect registration, sponsorship fees.

Defense

Telecom immunity is not only spying concern

Some observers say the most critical question is who ultimately authorizes the overarching spying program.

Oversight

Group rips cash-strapped Forest Service for purchasing Tasers

Agency bought $600,000 worth of Tasers with no training program or written explanation for why it needed them.

Oversight

Six agencies win performance awards

Health and Human Services honored for agencywide performance and innovation.

Oversight

Park revitalization program might suffer in budget battle

Senate version of appropriations measure contains $88 million less in parks funding than $2 billion approved by House.

Defense

Former senator decries DHS as 'mess,' urges reorganization

Warren Rudman cites emergency management and port security as key examples of the department's failures.

Oversight

It's the Economy, Maybe

Will the 2008 election focus on national security and terrorism give way to a greater concern over the economy?

Oversight

Tech problems hamper drug agency, report says

FDA Science Board Advisory Committee calls IT issues at agency "problematic" and potentially "dangerous."

Oversight

Office of Special Counsel sees progress in Hatch Act probe

A team is reviewing thousands of documents and has begun interviewing officials at smaller agencies.

Oversight

Bush demands vote on Defense funding

President opposes legislation backed by Democratic leaders that would offer a schedule for withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Defense

Forward Observer: Military's Anguish

The stage is set for our armed services to relive the worst days of the 1970s.

Oversight

OMB sets standards for contracting officials

Office of Federal Procurement Policy establishes training and competency requirements for contracting officer technical representatives.

Oversight

IG: Coal safety agency stinting on mine inspections

Report says Mine Safety and Health Administration's inspector force was sharply cut between 2002 and 2006.

Oversight

House Appropriations chair floats cutting earmarks further

Cuts could derail goal of completing work on two bills expected to pass next week.

Oversight

Wikipedia users burnish GSA administrator's image

User-edited page is mostly scrubbed of allegations that Lurita Doan violated the Hatch Act.

Defense

Local leaders tout progress rebuilding New Orleans

Officials cite ‘desperate’ need to rewrite law governing federal role in future disasters.