Title 42 Disputes Continue, Stalls COVID-19 Relief
Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced last week legislation to ensure the administration has a comprehensive, workable plan in place before lifting Title 42.
New Bill Addresses ‘Dysfunctional’ Federal Hiring Process
Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced last week legislation to overhaul hiring in the federal workforce and proposing to remove recruiting obstacles.
Alleged Taxpayer Funds Misuse on Capitol Hill Prompt Investigations
The Office of Congressional Ethics (OGE) has twice investigated Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) for alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars and interference with an investigation in the past year.
Proposed Bipartisan Bill Aims to Improve Government Efficiency, Save Taxpayers Money
Reps. Kilmer and Timmons aim to improve government efficiency and increase taxpayer savings with their latest bill—the Improving Government for America’s Taxpayers Act (H.R. 262).
Capitol Complex Reopens to Public Amid Officials, Staff Concerns
As limited tours resume at the Capitol Complex this week, officials remain concerned for the wellness of staff given unaddressed security and health concerns.
Congress Approves FY22 Appropriations with Six Months Until FY23
The Senate voted 68-31 to pass a $1.5 trillion appropriations package funding the federal government through the rest of fiscal year (FY) 2022, and President Biden signed the bill into law shortly after.
FY 2022 Government Appropriations Possible Before Concurrent CR Expires
Appropriations negotiators in the House have reportedly worked through the night finalizing a $1.5 trillion omnibus package on government funding and are close to an agreement.
Customer Service Legislation Advances Through Senate Committee
The Federal Agency Customer Experience (FACE) Act recently advanced through the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The bill now faces a full Senate vote before moving forward to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Partnership for Public Service Calls for Reduction in Number of Senate-Confirmed Appointees, Highlights Trends in Senate Confirmation Process
An August 9, 2021 report from the Partnership for Public Service argues that Senate confirmations of political appointees to fill vacancies are a slow and time-consuming process and many positions should not require Senate confirmation at all.
Proposed Appropriations Bill Tackles DoD Personnel Management
The 2022 Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations bill from the House Committee on Appropriations addresses a number of concerns surrounding DoD’s recruitment and retention efforts. According to appropriators, the Department of Defense needs help filling employment vacancies surrounding career and technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in order to remain competitive with its counterparts in China and Russia.
Senate Homeland Security Committee Advances Cybersecurity, Supply Chain Bills
The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a business meeting last week to advance several legislative items collectively intended to bolster cybersecurity in the U.S. and promote supply chain modernization.
Appropriations Update: Senate Begins Funding Bill Markups, Security Supplemental Signed into Law
The U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations has begun markups on funding bills for the federal government. Additionally, a bipartisan security supplemental bill was signed into law last week.
Bipartisan Bill to Create Data Science Jobs in the Federal Government
Representative Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced H.R. 3533, the Federal Career Opportunities in Computer Science Work Act, which would establish career pathways in computer science within the federal government.
Senate Majority Leader Plans Preliminary Vote on Infrastructure Package
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) plans to hold a preliminary vote on the $579 billion bipartisan infrastructure framework and move forward on a separate $3.5 trillion tax and spending proposal as soon as Wednesday of this week.
Lawmakers Aim to Improve Technology Security with Supply Chain Training
Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) have introduced legislation aimed at protecting against cyber threats and supply chain vulnerabilities through standardized training programs. The Supply Chain Security Training Act would create a standard training program for federal employees responsible for purchasing services and equipment.
Former Temporary Workers Could Catch Up on Pension Contributions Under Proposed Bill
Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) recently introduced a bipartisan piece of legislation titled the Federal Retirement Fairness Act. This legislation would allow employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) who initially entered government as temporary workers to make catch-up retirement contributions to cover for the years when they were temps.
House Appropriators Release Draft Funding Bill, Endorse 2.7 Percent Pay Raise
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government advanced a draft bill that makes no mention of a federal pay raise for General Schedule employees. Thus, the legislation effectively endorses President Biden’s proposed 2.7 percent average federal civilian pay raise.