House Republicans Considering Rare Tactic to Roll Back Appropriations
According to Roll Call, House Republicans may employ “lesser-used provisions of the 1974 budget law to roll back spending by impounding some of the appropriated funds” contained within the 2018 omnibus spending bill.
Speculation Swirls around Ryan Resignation
According to Congressman Mark Amodei (R-NV), there is a “rumor” that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan might soon announce his resignation. Rep. Amodei made the statement in an interview with a local news station.
U.S. Accuses Russia of Attacks on Critical Infrastructure and Elections, Imposes Sanctions
Last Thursday, the Trump administration announced the imposition of sanctions against Russia in response to what it deemed an organized effort to hack elements critical to American infrastructure, including aviation systems and the U.S. energy grid.
OPM Receives First Confirmed Director Since July 2015
Late last week, the U.S. Senate confirmed by voice vote Jeff Pon, President Trump’s choice to serve as the new director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the agency tasked with overseeing the administrative and human resources needs of the federal workforce.
Conservatives Push for Greater Oversight on IRS Rules
Conservative groups and several GOP lawmakers are pushing for more oversight of IRS rules as the agency works to carry out President Trump’s new tax law.
OMB Releases Cost-Benefit Report for Federal Regulations
This week, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released to Congress its annual cost-benefit analysis of federal agency rules and regulations.
House Budget Negotiations Off to Rocky Start
With President Trump’s 2019 budget proposal now released to the public, lawmakers in the House of Representatives have begun hashing out what Roll Call sees as nearly “insurmountable” differences.
Tomorrow: Confirmation Hearing for New OPM Director
President Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Jeff Pon, will receive a confirmation hearing tomorrow in the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC).
Think Tank: Bring Back Congress’ Nerds
The resurrection of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) – an “expert advisory agency that served as a think tank within Congress from 1972 to 1995, and made important contributions to shaping technology policy in the United States and abroad,” but was eliminated in 1995 – could bring about sweeping improvements to Congress’ decision-making on modernization and other emerging technological challenges, according to a new policy paper released by the R Street Institute.
Congress Signs Fourth Continuing Resolution to Delay Shutdown
Nearly three days after the government’s funding lapsed, causing the federal government to shutdown over the weekend and through much of Monday, the U.S. Senate signed another short-term continuing resolution – the fourth such resolution since the Fiscal Year began in October 2017 – that funds the government through February 8th.
Lawmakers Call for 3% Pay Raise for Feds in 2019
Even as budget disagreements from 2017 continue to linger into the new year, conversation is already turning to next year’s budget, with President Trump’s 2019 budget proposal expected sometime next month. In light of that expected milestone, some lawmakers are hoping to get a head-start on negotiations, calling for a 3 percent pay raise for federal employees in 2019.
First Week Back: The Week Ahead in Congress
With Congress returning this week after the holiday break, lawmakers again return to a full docket of business, with another looming government shutdown just ten days away.
House Passes Package of Bills to Boost Underrepresented Groups’ Participation in STEM Fields
With tumultuous negotiations over tax reform and budget proposals at least temporarily behind them, the U.S. House of Representatives concluded the legislative year by passing a package of three bills intended to boost the involvement of women, veterans, and other underrepresented groups in STEM-related occupations, including within the federal government.
Republicans Consider Another Short-Term Spending Resolution, Democrats Vow to Oppose
Last week, on the cusp of the deadline to pass either a budget or a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operational, Congress passed a two-week continuing resolution, buying itself more time to debate and finalize the components of a final, longer-term deal.
Navy: Continuing Resolutions Caused $4 Billion Waste
As Congress faces the prospect of passing another short-term continuing resolution, rather than a full-year budget, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer told a U.S. Naval Institute forum that the practice has been costly to the agency over the past six years.
10 Days Until Government Shutdown
Congress returned from its recess this week to a busy agenda and, most pressingly, only ten days to act before the federal government shuts down.
Sen. Cardin Says Feds Should 'Be a Little Outraged' Over Proposed Pay and Benefits Cuts
In an interview last week on Federal News Radio’s Federal Drive with Tom Temin, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) reminded federal employees that dodging the $32 billion in cuts to federal retirement that were components of both the White House and House of Representatives budget proposals does not mean federal employees no longer have cause for concern.
President Trump Demands Tax Reform by Christmas
During a meeting today, President Donald Trump indicated his goal is to sign a tax reform bill before Christmas, a statement that increases the pressure on Congressional Republicans who have thus far found difficulty agreeing on what specific shape various aspects of a tax overhaul proposal should take.