Oversight
Senator criticizes GSA plans to cut office supply program
A group of lawmakers, led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., says the move would hurt small companies and hamper disaster recovery efforts.
Oversight
Cheney standoff with Democrats extends to spending bill
Bills to fund the Treasury, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Health and Human Services departments start making their way through Senate.
Oversight
Nominee to direct OMB may get hearing this month
Budget panel will consider the nomination if it gets the appropriate documents, chairman says.
Oversight
Money Isn’t Everything
Impressive fundraising won’t necessarily translate to presidential hopeful Barack Obama winning the Democratic nomination.
Defense
Homeland Security faces continued vacancies in high-level jobs
Congressional report says gaps threaten security, continuity of government; agency says it already is focused on filling positions.
Oversight
Employee tried to mask extent of latest VA data breach
“Panicked” IT specialist lied to investigators looking into the loss of a hard drive with personal data on about 1.5 million people, IG says.
Oversight
Congress left with few easy paths on spending bills
Democrats will have trouble meeting their goal of passing 12 fiscal 2008 appropriations measures individually and on time.
Oversight
Interior Department unveils new ethics plan
Greater transparency needed to solve agency’s problems, watchdog groups say.
Defense
Senate prepares to tackle Defense authorization and Iraq
House will wait to take up remaining spending bills because panel is still working on a list of earmarks attached.
Oversight
Audit finds FEMA laptops lack proper security settings
Sensitive data could be at risk, inspector general finds in review of 298 laptops.
Oversight
Windows security standardization cited as top tech challenge
Half of IT security officers and managers in survey say they have adequate budgets and staff to implement OMB mandate.
Oversight
Polling Trends
The Democratic presidential contest has been stable for months, but the Republican field remains volatile.
Oversight
Foes of private tax collection regroup after House defeat
Legislation pending in House and Senate would permanently shut down IRS program to outsource some collections work.
Oversight
Open government group says FOIA backlogs worse than reported
Five agencies have Freedom of Information Act requests that go back 15 years or more, according to a new report.
Defense
Air Force faces criticism over hotel construction project
Price tag has ballooned by $50 million to $200 million, analyst says; Air Force official disagrees, citing final cost of about $174 million.
Oversight
Use of free tax filing software drops significantly
Decrease followed agreement limiting the service to 70 percent of tax filers, auditors find.
Oversight
House passes financial services spending bill
Measure passes on a 240-179 vote, with more than enough opposition to sustain a veto.
Oversight
Cheney's words show he counts self part of executive branch
The office has both legislative and executive functions, White House representatives have said during squabble over executive order compliance.
Oversight
Panel backs language to reopen FAA, union contract talks
Provision would retroactively require an independent binding arbitration board to settle wage and other differences; administration has threatened a veto.
Defense