Category: Congress

GOP senators seek IG review to see if SBA office space remains underutilized

Space, underutilized, Review, seek, senators, remains, Office0 comment

Republicans on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee are calling for a watchdog review of the Small Business Administration’s office space use, over concerns its offices remain underutilized. In a letter to SBA’s inspector general, committee ranking member Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) led committee members Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and John Kennedy (R-La.) in asking the watchdog office for a report on SBA’s current office space utilization. “We request your office assess the SBA’s office space utilization as part of your role in providing independent, objective, and timely oversight of the…

Read More...

Passing 2025 defense spending bill will be ‘particularly difficult’

'difficult, passing, 2025, Particularly, Defense, spending, Bill0 comment

While passing the 2024 defense budget was arduous as lawmakers struggled to agree on government funding plans for nearly six months into the fiscal year, negotiating the 2025 defense spending is shaping up to be “particularly difficult.” The Pentagon proposed a fiscal 2025 budget of $ 849.8 billion, about 1% higher than this year’s budget request. The top line figure aligns with the Fiscal Responsibility Act passed last year, which sets limits on defense and non-defense discretionary spending. Defense officials said the 1% increase would not be enough to cover…

Read More...

Dysfunction in Congress spoils the work life of congressional staff

Congress, congressional, Life, work, dysfunction, staff, spoils0 comment

Few workforces have been studied and dissected as much as that of the two million-strong executive branch of the federal government. There’s another smaller, if no less crucial workforce. It belongs to Congress. The latest research shows wide-and-deep dissatisfaction among congressional staff members. For details, the Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with the President and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation, Brad Fitch. Interview Transcript:  Tom Temin And you have surveyed members of the congressional staff. What is it? About 30,000 plus or minus. Tell us about the survey…

Read More...

GOP lawmakers pan SBA return-to-office plans as ‘extremely minimal’

Lawmakers, plans, 'Extremely, returntooffice, minimal’0 comment

Republican lawmakers say teleworking employees at the Small Business Administration aren’t making full use of its office space, and are pressing SBA leadership for an update on efforts to increase in-office work. House Small Business Committee Vice Chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.) said in a March 20 oversight hearing that he was “extremely skeptical” of SBA’s request for a 20% budget increase in fiscal 2025, “as there is no evidence the agency is operating effectively or efficiently.” Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Mo.) says he is “extremely skeptical” of SBA’s request for a…

Read More...

New rules take effect for agencies buying from AbilityOne contractors

effect, Agencies, Contractors, AbilityOne, from, Take, Buying, rules0 comment

New rules have taken effect for procurement from AbilityOne contractors. Those are the companies, mostly non-profits, whose employees have disabilities. The rules were ordered by Congress back in 2017 and they bring more competition to the program. For details, The Federal Drive with Tom Temin talked with the Executive Director of the AbilityOne Commission, Kim Zeich. Interview Transcript:  Kim Zeich The AbilityOne program provides employment opportunities to individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities through the Federal Acquisition System. Historically, the AbilityOne program has been an exception to competition…

Read More...

Biden signs $1.2 trillion funding package after Senate’s early-morning passage ended government shutdown threat

passage, Senate's, after, ended, Biden, $1.2, government, earlymorning, Threat, Signs, package, Trillion, shutdown, funding0 comment

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $ 1.2 trillion package of spending bills after Congress had passed the long overdue legislation just hours earlier, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown. “This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” Biden said in a statement. “But it rejects extreme cuts from House Republicans and expands access to child care, invests in cancer research, funds mental health and substance use care, advances American leadership abroad, and provides resources to secure the…

Read More...