House To Vote On Stopgap Measure
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a temporary funding measure, or continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government until December 20. House members voted Tuesday with the hopes of moving the legislation to the Senate for a vote later in the week and onto the president’s desk for signature before the current CR expires at midnight on Thursday.
Action Plan: Life Insurance Awareness Month 2019
Being insured by WAEPA offers more than just Group Term Life Insurance.1 After over 75 years of serving Civilian Federal Employees, our objective has remained the same: to provide access to products and services that promote the health, welfare and financial well-being of our members. In honor of September’s Life Insurance Awareness Month (also known as LIAM), we’re giving you the tools to properly review your policy.
First Circuit: No Need to Correctly Label Legal Theory for OSC Exhaustion
An ICE Supervisory Special Agent delivered a document to a colleague at the direction of his supervisor, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge. The colleague (a Special Agent) later used the document in support of his own whistleblower case against the Agency. After the Agency learned of the Supervisory Special Agent’s involvement in his colleague’s appeal, he was not selected for promotion, and received a lower-than-normal performance appraisal. He then filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, alleging that the agency retaliated against him for providing information to his colleague that was later used in his colleague’s appeal.
President’s Pay Plan for 2020 Endorses Pay Raise
In a letter to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, President Trump has endorsed a pay increase for all federal employees with no locality pay increase. This plan goes against the president’s previously proposed pay freezes for federal employees. Congress must now pass funding measures to determine the exact pay increase federal employees will receive.
Department of Energy Teams Up with Private Sector on AI, Neurological Disorders
The Department of Energy (DOE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Weill Family Foundation to cooperate on Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects as they relate to multidisciplinary and translational research of neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other priorities.
Disaster Contract Bill Aims At Increasing Transparency
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a temporary funding measure, or continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government until December 20. House members voted Tuesday with the hopes of moving the legislation to the Senate for a vote later in the week and onto the president’s desk for signature before the current CR expires at midnight on Thursday.
Sorting Through Cybersecurity Part 1: The Industry Perspective
As the federal government becomes increasingly digital, it also becomes increasingly at risk for cyberattacks. Experts in the cybersecurity community will discuss what these threats look like and how the federal workforce can prepare for them.
Here We Go Again
After five weeks of recess, both chambers of Congress will return to Washington, D.C., on September 9th. Committee work will restart, speeches will be made on the floor, and representative work for the American people will begin again. For anyone, returning to work can be an arduous undertaking, but for this first session of the 116th Congress it is set to be particularly so. As of the writing of this article, the Senate has yet to pass any appropriations bills to fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) and Congress has a little over three legislative weeks to avoid the second government shutdown of 2019.
Cyber Reskilling Academy Reports Success
Federal Chief Information Officer Suzette Kent has boasted the success of the first graduates of the Cyber Reskilling Academy. The academy was started as a pilot to gauge interest and ability to reskill sectors of the federal workforce to prepare for increased cyber needs. Attendees gained two certifications as a result of their participation in the program.
VA Feels Pressure to Address Veteran Suicides
Following a report from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General Office (IG) regarding veteran suicide, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Chairman is calling upon the VA to take agency wide action to mitigate the problem. The president has also spoken up on the issue and called for increased resources to VA facilities to combat depression.
Legislative Update: Big Bills Of The Summer
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a temporary funding measure, or continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government until December 20. House members voted Tuesday with the hopes of moving the legislation to the Senate for a vote later in the week and onto the president’s desk for signature before the current CR expires at midnight on Thursday.
Need Time Off for Religious Holidays in 2019? Know Your Responsibilities
As summer time-off requests come to an end, it’s time to start thinking about your religious observances and any time off you may need in the coming months.
State Department OIG Reviews Politicization, Improper Personnel Practices
A State Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) report released this month reviewed allegations of mismanagement at the Bureau of International Organization Affairs (IO). The report details “deficiencies and mistreatment” of career employees by leadership and management within the department.
Agencies Provide Insight into Student Loan Repayment Program in OPM Report
A report from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) found that several agencies are making good use of student loan repayment programs as a tool for recruitment and retention. The report details the average amounts given to employees as well.
The Importance of Whistleblower Protection
Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion on the importance of whistleblower protection. Whistleblowers play a key role in ensuring oversight and accountability within the federal government. Leading whistleblower advocates will break down current whistleblower protections, gaps in public policy, and a path for enhancing protections.
Bill Drafted To Make Domestic Terrorism A Federal Crime
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a temporary funding measure, or continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government until December 20. House members voted Tuesday with the hopes of moving the legislation to the Senate for a vote later in the week and onto the president’s desk for signature before the current CR expires at midnight on Thursday.
Fifth Circuit: Duration of Immigration Stop, Not the Questions Asked by Agents, Determines Its Constitutionality
On May 26, 2017, Miguel Angel Vega-Torres was a passenger on a commercial bus that stopped at a border patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias, Texas. Border Patrol Agent David Gonzalez conducted an inspection of the bus at the checkpoint. During that inspection, Agent Gonzalez asked Vega-Torres for his citizenship documentation. Vega-Torres handed Agent Gonzalez his Legal Permanent Resident (“LPR”) card. Agent Gonzalez had a difficult time matching Vega-Torres’s face with the LPR card photo because Vega-Torres was occupied on his cell phone and made brief eye contact with Agent Gonzalez.
State Department Hiring Freeze Had Broad, Significant Impacts, OIG Found
The State Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report this month assessing the impact of a hiring freeze within the department. The report found the freeze to have wide ranging negative impacts, particularly on the Trump administration's long term reform goals. The challenges continued after the freeze was lifted.