Congress | Voter.org

VA readies massive contract for veterans’ private sector health care

January 25, 2026 massive, veterans, health, care, Sector, private, Contract, readies0 comment

The Department of Veterans Affairs is preparing to issue what’s likely to become one of the largest service contracts in government history as it restructures its arrangements, aiming for rigorous management of the department’s role as a health care payer and greater competition among health care management firms. The massive contract vehicle represents only the second time VA has signed large contracts with health plans to coordinate private sector care for veterans. The first was shortly after the MISSION Act was signed in 2018. Those contracts are now expiring, and…

Lawmakers press acting CISA director on workforce reductions

January 21, 2026 reductions, Press, director, Lawmakers, Acting, workforce, CISA0 comment

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s acting director testified that CISA is “getting back on mission,” but he provided few specifics after the agency lost nearly a third of its staff over the past year. Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala testified in front of the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday. Asked by Chairman Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) about reports of plans for a reorganization at CISA, Gottumukkala said there are no plans to reorganize the cyber agency. “We do have a lot of changes in the last year, but we have…

Army to update its software directive, pursue new funding category for software

January 17, 2026 Software, Army, directive, category, UPDATE, funding, Pursue0 comment

The Army is updating its software directive and scrapping its existing policy on software funding that has routinely hindered software projects across the service. Michael Obadal, the service’s undersecretary, said the new software directive will be released “in the coming weeks.” The service plans to revise the document annually to keep pace with the rapidly changing environment. Meanwhile, canceling its existing policy governing how the service pays for software will allow the Army to “apply the appropriate type of money to the applicable use case.” “For many years, as many…

Lawmakers push to overhaul complex reserve duty status system

January 13, 2026 System, Lawmakers, Complex, Push, Duty, status, Reserve, overhaul0 comment

The Defense Department has long tried to simplify and reform the reserve duty status system, which has expanded to more than 30 separate statutes scattered across about 20 different titles of federal law. This complex system has created pay and benefits inequities and frequent administrative delays when National Guard members and reservists shift between duty statuses. A new bipartisan bill now seeks to consolidate dozens of duty statuses under which National Guard members and reservists are called to service to just four. If passed, the Duty Status Reform Act would…

House passes bill to extend health care subsidies in defiance of GOP leaders

January 9, 2026 leaders, Bill, health, care, Passes, extend, subsidies, Defiance, House0 comment

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a remarkable rebuke of Republican leadership, the House passed legislation Thursday that would extend expired health care subsidies for those who get coverage through the Affordable Care Act as 17 renegade GOP lawmakers joined every Democrat in support. The tally, 230-196, signified growing political concern over Americans’ health care costs. Forcing the issue to a vote came about after a handful of Republicans signed on to a so-called “discharge petition” to unlock debate, bypassing objections from House Speaker Mike Johnson. The bill now goes to the…

Lawmakers boost funding for NIST after proposed cuts

January 5, 2026 after, Lawmakers, cuts, boost, funding, proposed, NIST0 comment

Congressional appropriators are looking to maintain, and in some cases increase, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s work in areas like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum research. The appropriations agreement released by House and Senate negotiators this week would include $ 1.8 billion for NIST, instead of funding cuts for the agency proposed by the Trump administration. The “minibus” appropriations package rejected many of the administration’s proposed budget cuts and limited agency reorganizations. The agreement includes $ 1.25 billion for NIST’s research and services division, more than $ 542…