Category: Congress

Results of the first review initiates battle over budget rules

Over, budget, Review, battle, rules, Results, initiates, first0 comment

During the confirmation hearings of the Office of Management and Budget director and deputy director for budget earlier this year, lawmakers pressed Russ Vought and Dan Bishop about whether they would comply with the Impoundment Control Act. The budget rules of the road require Congressional approval if OMB decides not to spend money appropriated in law. While both Vought and Bishop promised to comply with the law, a new decision by the Government Accountability Office casts further doubt on whether OMB will follow the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. GAO…

Read More...

Congress softens the blow: Here’s how it affects you

Congress, Here's, Affects, Blow, softens0 comment

Federal employees and retirees are facing the most significant proposed changes to their benefits in decades. A series of sweeping proposals targeting the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and associated benefits could reshape the financial future of millions of federal workers. From pension recalibrations to healthcare voucher reforms, and even the potential elimination of core benefits for future hires, the once-stable landscape of federal retirement is facing seismic shifts. While it’s easy to feel both frustrated, angry and overwhelmed, it’s crucial to assess the actual implications. In this article, I’ll…

Read More...

House-passed reconciliation bill includes more changes to proposed federal benefits cuts

Includes, reconciliation, HousePassed, more, cuts, federal, changes, benefits, Bill, proposed0 comment

House lawmakers narrowly passed the GOP’s budget reconciliation bill early Thursday morning in a vote of 215-214, after making one last revision to a series of proposals cutting federal benefits and civil service protections. Four of the six provisions on federal benefits cuts that originated from Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee remain in the House-passed version of the bill, which now heads to the Senate for consideration. But notably, the proposed change to a “high-5” annuity calculation is no longer on the table. The provision was…

Read More...

Senate Democrats seek to restore, strengthen PMF program with new legislation

restore, Legislation, strengthen, Democrats, Senate, seek, Program0 comment

Two Senate Democrats hope to reinstate the recently eliminated Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program and permanently secure the nearly 50-year-old effort for recruiting and retaining federal talent. The Training Aspiring Leaders Emerging Now to Serve, or TALENTS Act, which Sens. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced Thursday, would reestablish the PMF program. The bill comes in response to President Donald Trump eliminating the PMF program by executive order in February. Under the TALENTS Act, the PMF program would not only be restored, but also codified in federal regulations, effectively…

Read More...

SBIR/STTR awards remain vulnerable to foreign influence

influence, remain, Awards, Vulnerable, SBIR/STTR, Foreign0 comment

Of the 12 agencies running the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, only one has made significant progress to prevent or limit foreign adversaries from taking advantage of the research and development funding. New data from Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chairwoman of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, shows that the National Institutes of Health both flagged and denied all applications that included companies or people from places like China and Russia. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is the chairwoman of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.…

Read More...

As the executive branch slashes foreign aid programs, will Congress step in?

Congress, Foreign, executive, Programs, step, Branch, slashes0 comment

Interview transcript: Terry Gerton: Foreign aid has probably garnered more headlines in the last two months than it has in the two years. With DOGE’s termination of most of USAID’s grants, and even more recently, the proposed reorganization of the Department of State, we’re seeing a massive realignment of the U.S. strategy when it comes to foreign aid. So Bob, what role has U.S. foreign aid funding played in global humanitarian assistance? Can you give us an idea of the impact? Bob Powers: Yes, certainly it plays a massive role…

Read More...