Category: Congress

House VA Committee leader demands ‘airtight case’ for VA IT employees getting pay boost

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A top Republican on the House VA Committee is scrutinizing the number of the employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs who are receiving a pay raise meant for hard-to-keep IT and cyber experts. The VA implemented a Special Salary Rate last summer, giving more than 7,000 employees in its Office of Information Technology (OIT) a substantial boost in pay. The SSR resulted in a 17% average pay increase for VA tech and cyber workers in 2210-classified positions. VA OIT has over 7,500 employees in these positions, and they account…

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After August recess, Congress still has a full agenda

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Congress managed to take care of all the spending bills it needed to before heading out the door for August recess. Lots is still on the agenda, though, for when it returns — including a local matter concerning Reagan International Airport. Plus, there’s been some rare bipartisanship as members share in the one thing they can still always agree on: dressing down a federal official. For more on this, Federal News Network executive producer Eric White spoke to WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller on the Federal Drive with Tom…

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Last chance to apply for White House internship

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Today is the last day to apply for a federal internship with the White House. And as of 2022, those early-career positions are now paid too. The Biden administration says it’s paying its interns to try to reduce barriers for low-income students and improve diversity of each class of interns. For this round of internships, applications close tonight at 11:59 p.m. Those selected for the program will kick off their work in spring 2025. (Spring 2025 internship applications – White House) Regardless of who wins, an incoming president has to…

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Congress tackles spending, policy and candidate protections on the road to the August recess

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Been a hectic week on the political side of government. The 2024 election is in full swing as one party hosts its convention, and with an attempt on a candidate’s life, you know members of Congress are going have questions for the agencies in charge of protection. Meanwhile, there’s other legislation that could have an impact on other federal activities. To help break it all down for the Federal Drive with Tom Temin, Federal News Network Executive producer Eric White welcomes Deputy News Director Loren Duggan. Interview Transcript:  Eric White …

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House Oversight panel subpoenas Secret Service director to testify on Trump assassination attempt

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee issued a subpoena Wednesday to the Secret Service director compelling her to appear before the committee on Monday for what is scheduled to be the first congressional hearing into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. And even before the first hearing Republican calls for Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign intensified Wednesday with top Republican leaders from both the House and the Senate saying she should step down. The director has said she has no intention…

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Federal firefighters could see bigger paychecks next year

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House appropriators are taking steps that could give federal firefighters a permanent pay raise. Fiscal 2025 spending legislation advanced this week, and it includes about 300 million dollars to boost pay for firefighters working at the Interior Department and the Forest Service. Although House Democrats opposed many of the GOP’s proposed spending cuts, they came out in favor of the pay raise for the frontline workers. Federal firefighters currently have a temporary pay boost, but many advocates have been pushing to make the raise permanent. (House Appropriations Committee – Fiscal…

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