Federal Newscast
2,383 episodes — Page 43 of 48
Senate bill calls for small defense contractors getting paid quicker
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, bipartisan legislation in the Senate would shorten the deadline for the Defense department to pay defense contractors who work with small businesses.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Latest FITARA scorecard shows ups and downs
In today's Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee releases the expanded Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act report card today, five agencies saw their grades go up, 11 saw them go down.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Air Force moving pilots back to U.S. to reduce burden on families
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Air Force has started to move some of its pilots back to the U.S. as part of an effort to reduce the strain on those servicemembers and their families.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
State Department IG investigating reassignments of high level personnel
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, following a request from Congressional regulators, the State Department’s Inspector General is looking into whether personnel moves at the agency were politically motivated.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
IG: DoD made $500M in questionable payments to contractors working in Afghanistan
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Pentagon’s inspector general finds the Defense Department routinely reimbursed contractors for the expenses they claimed without examining their supporting documentation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
GOP Senators hope to avoid government shutdown
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, wary of another last-minute budget deal, seven Republican Senators ask Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to expedite floor consideration of funding bills and nominees before the end of the fiscal year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
VA MISSION Act passes the House
In today's Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the House passes the VA MISSION Act which would give the Veterans Affairs Department a long awaited alternative to the Choice program and consolidates all seven community care programs. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
FedRAMP, Cloud Security Alliance creating new Joint Certification System
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Federal Risk Authorization and Management Program and the Cloud Security Alliance announce the creation of FedSTAR to offer mutual recognition between the two security programs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
VA doctors, now allowed to treat patients in other states via telehealth
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, a rule allowing Veterans Affairs providers to administer healthcare across state lines using virtual technology becomes finalized.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
GAO: Military provisions could be reducing competition for Defense contracts
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Government Accountability Office finds 75 percent of of the Defense Department’s IDIQ type contracts were only open to a single contractor. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Proposal to track executive branch's use of military aircraft gets nixed
In today's Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the House Armed Services Committee kills a proposal aimed at exposing more details about government officials’ travel on military aircraft.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
DHS considering punishments for contractors still using Kaspersky Lab products
In today’s Federal Newscast, officials from the Homeland Security Department tell lawmakers the agency is working across government to figure out consequences for not following the binding operational directive.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Trump administration wants to cut $15 billion in unused funds
In today’s Federal Newscast, President Trump asks Congress for permission to reduce spending by $15 billion, all coming from unobligated funds.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
USPS wants centralized mailbox locations for new addresses
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, a policy update from USPS emphasizes its preference for so-called clustered box units in new housing developments, instead of door-to-door.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
OMB can’t find files containing public comments on reorganization initiative
In today’s Federal Newscast, responding to a Freedom of Information Act request, the Office of Management and Budget was unable to locate the hundreds of thousands of public comments and recommendations for its reorganization plan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
IG: Energy's CFO went $16 million over budget in 2017
In today's Federal Newscast, a new report from the Energy Department's Inspector General finds the agency's Chief Financial Officer moved too much money over to the Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability account.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Oops, another Hatch Act violation by a political appointee
In today's Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Office of Special Counsel found that FCC Commissioner Michael O'Reilly violated the Hatch Act stumping for conservative candidates during a speech.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lawsuit against VA claims Trump broke the law with Wilkie appointment
In today’s Federal Newscast, two organizations are suing the Veterans Affairs Department over the White House’s decision to appoint defense undersecretary Robert Wilkie to be acting VA secretary.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Veterans Choice program faces another fiscal cliff
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie urges Congress to take action to permanently fund the Veterans Choice program.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
House conservatives revive efforts to cut federal pay raises, create an ‘at will’ workforce
In today’s Federal Newscast, conservative lawmakers have proposed eliminating all automatic pay raises for federal employees, while creating a workforce that can be removed, demoted or suspended “at will.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
FOI documents show CBP's long-term problem with corruption
In today's Federal Newscast, recently-released documents indicated more than 200 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employees have been arrested on charges related to corruption in the past 14 years. At least 13 of those arrests have come since the start of the Trump Administration.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
House Dems threaten subpoenas for Trump Administration whistleblower documents
In today's Federal Newscast, Democratic leaders on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee want to subpoena documents the Justice and Homeland Security departments have failed to supply related to possible violations involving whistleblowers.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
OPM's Pon seeks important role for human capital council
The director of the Office of Personnel Management said he wants to restore the importance of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council. Jeff Pon has asked agency and department heads to put very senior level representatives on the council that strategizes human resource policy for government employees. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
DRAIN Act would move non-security agencies out of Washington
In today's Federal Newscast, a Senate lawmaker has proposed legislation that would seek to move all non-security federal agencies out of the Washington, D.C. area by 2029.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Former cyclist Lance Armstrong ordered to pay Postal Service $5 million
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Justice Department settles a lawsuit that alleges Armstrong violated sponsorship agreements his cycling team had with USPS.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Pentagon officials describe impact sequestration had on DoD facilities
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment Lucian Niemeyer tells members of Congress about the effect 6 years of sequestration had on military buildings.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Vice President Pence nominates Commerce Department for maintaining safety in space
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the National Space Council, led by Vice President Mike Pence, will recommend giving Commerce the task of maintaining space situational awareness to be shared with civil, commercial and military users of satellites.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Pentagon gives details on plan to send National Guard to U.S. southern border
In today’s Federal Newscast, the Defense Department will be sending up to 4,000 troops to U.S.-Mexico border to assist the Homeland Security Department.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Pentagon to set up new office focused on advancing artificial intelligence
In today's Federal Newscast, the Defense Department's research and engineering chief says the office's creation to counter advancements made in the field by U.S. adversaries. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
President Trump launches task force to study Postal Service
In today’s Federal Newscast, a new executive order assembles a team to look into how USPS prices its package delivery services.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
House Dems worry Secretary Ryan Zinke will thwart diverse workforce initiatives
In today’s Federal Newscast, after media reports said the Interior Secretary made dismissive comments about workforce diversity, 28 members of Congress send a letter to Ryan Zinke asking he rethink them.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Adm. Zukunft: Coast Guard finally where it needs to be budget-wise
In today’s Federal Newscast, after spending 2017 with low budgets, the head of the Coast Guard says his service is now punching at the middleweight class.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Multiple agency leaders agree to speed up reviews of infrastructure projects
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, President Donald Trump presided over the signing of the “One Federal Decision” memorandum of understanding, in which seven of his cabinet secretaries took part.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Bid protests must be filed online starting in May
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Government Accountability Office says it’s launching its new electronic bid protest docketing system May 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
VA clarifies, no current effort to privatize agency
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, the Veterans Affairs Department puts out a news release, denying any internal plans to move towards privatization.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Thousands of Google employees protest working with the Pentagon
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, over 3,100 employees send a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking he cancel a Defense Department pilot program which uses the company’s technology.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Veterans organization wants new acting VA secretary
In today's Federal Newscast, AMVETS is urging President Donald Trump to put Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Tom Bowman in charge while his choice for the position awaits Senate confirmation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sequestration could return in 2020 without congressional action
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, while Congress has adjusted spending caps to allow increases in spending, the Congressional Budget Office warns agencies will have to make cuts again if the caps aren’t adjusted beyond 2019.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
VA chief counsel bent ethics rules to get wife hired
In today’s Federal Newscast, a new Inspector General report finds a chief counsel in Veterans Affairs’ Office of General Counsel hatched a scheme to get his wife a job in one of the teams he managed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
No more official portraits of high level politicians
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, President Trump signs the EGO Act into law, banning federal funds from being used for oil paintings of federal officials.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Members of Congress want GAO to investigate reassignments at the Interior Department
In today's Federal Newscast, oversight lawmakers want the Government Accountability Office to look into Interior's decision to reassign 33 executives.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Think you could run a NASA mission?
In today’s Federal Newscast, the space agency says it’s hiring new flight directors and you don’t necessarily need previous experience to apply.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Thousands of VA employees have not undergone required background checks
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, a new inspector general report finds managers at the Veterans Affairs Department are not reviewing background investigations in a timely manner.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Congressional oversight leaders ask NASA for more info on official time use
In today’s Federal Newscast, the leaders of both Congressional oversight committees are not satisfied with the data on official time NASA provided.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Proposals to reform the IRS are on the way
In today’s Federal Newscast, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) says there will be a bill next month to begin restructuring the IRS.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Congressman wants federal bonuses published
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, Representative Mark Sanford (R-SC) says the public should be able to see how much federal employees earn from performance bonuses.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lawmakers concerned with OPM’s lack of IT upgrades
In today’s Federal Newscast on Federal News Radio, three years after the Office of Personnel’s data breach, members of the House Oversight Committee say the agency still hasn’t done much to modernize its IT.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Bipartisan bill calls for giving 'non-critical sensitive' defense workers due process
In today's Federal Newscast, three lawmakers want legislation to overturn a 2013 court decision which prevents some defense department employees from appealing to the Merit Systems Protection Board.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Another potential buyer for CSRA
In today’s Federal Newscast, CACI International makes an offer to buy IT contractor CSRA after it had already agreed to a deal with General Dynamics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Hackers successfully steal hundreds of government credit card numbers
In today’s Federal Newscast, the Defense Department says malicious hackers managed to steal the credit card numbers of several hundred people who’d been issued government travel cards.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.