Revived bills would alter feds’ payment obligations during shutdowns, federal first responders’ pensions

Lawmakers revived a host of bills this week that would impact the federal workforce, through changes to payments, retirement benefits and more. The Federal Employee Civil Relief Act, for one, would let federal employees and contractors postpone certain types of payments during government shutdowns, or if the government defaults on its debt. Specifically, feds would get a 30-day cushion, after a government shutdown ends, before they would have to make payments on loans and other types of financial obligations. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), who reintroduced the…

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Trump Has Become the Thing He Never Wanted to Be

One thing can be said for the proprietors of the MAGA Mall: They know their brand. The right-wing-merch retailer’s setup was among the most impressive at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference—a gargantuan display of apparel and tchotchkes meticulously curated to appeal to every segment of the Donald Trump–loving clientele. There were the MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hats in “classic” red for those who prefer a timeless look, and the ULTRA MAGA 45 hats for the more trend-conscious. There were T-shirts with Trump as Superman and T-shirts with Trump as…

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I’m a College Volleyball Player. The Equal Rights Amendment Would Destroy My Sport.

In their renewed attempt to ratify the so-called Equal Rights Amendment, Senate Democrats are quick to erase 50-plus years of progress and opportunity for women. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, shamelessly mocked the accomplishments of thousands of female athletes as he joked Feb. 28 about the “fate of field hockey” during his committee’s hearing on the revived Equal Rights Amendment. Don’t worry, Durbin did admit that female athletes “would probably feel very strongly about the issue, if they are field hockey players.” Senator Durbin has…

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Constituents Caravan Across NY-03 Calling for Congress to Vote to Expel Santos

QUEENS, N.Y. – Earlier today, MoveOn, Courage for America, and Concerned Citizens of NY-03 organized a “Drive Out Santos” caravan with nearly 60 constituents and 40 cars to renew calls for Congress to vote to expel GOP Representative George Santos. As previewed by CBS New York and the New York Post, after first rallying at Michael J. Tully Park, the caravan made stops across the district at locations representing Santos’s many scams and scandals, including an animal hospital, a Jewish center, a bank, the restaurant where his campaign spent $…

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White House $1.6B COVID fraud plan gives federal watchdogs increased staffing

The Biden administration is asking Congress to give federal watchdogs and prosecutors more funding — and more time — to go after billions of dollars in COVID-19 spending lost to fraudsters. The White House is seeking $ 1.6 billion to help federal law enforcement and agency inspectors general handle a growing caseload of pandemic-related fraud claims. The spending request issued Thursday previews some of what the Biden administration will include in its fiscal 2024 budget proposal, which it expects to release next week. It also includes many of the recommendations…

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