Congress | Voter.org

All congressional eyes focus on the great question: CR or government shutdown?

August 21, 2023 Eyes, shutdown, great, question, congressional, focus, government0 comment

Congress is still a couple of weeks away from returning to Washington. Still, pressure is building for members to resolve a difficult budget impasse, as the prospects for a lapse in appropriations also seem to grow. For more, Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke with Loren Duggan, Bloomberg Government’s Deputy News Director Loren. Interview Transcript: Tom Temin And absence, I guess, makes their hearts grow fonder. And the debates are in some level continuing here on what they will do about the budget, correct? Loren Duggan That is correct. I…

DoD’s budget challenges will take years to fix, but reform commission says now’s the time to start

August 17, 2023 Start, Years, Commission, DoD’s, now’s, budget, says, Take, Time, reform, Challenges0 comment

The expert panel Congress assembled to find fixes to the Pentagon’s archaic planning and budgeting process won’t deliver its final prescription for reform until next spring. But its members say there are at least some steps the Defense Department and Congress should start taking right now, particularly in light of the fact that fixing what’s wrong is certain to be a years-long effort. The Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) Reform published an interim report this week, previewing 10 of the possible recommendations it might make in its…

What a lapse in funding might look like in October of 2023

August 13, 2023 funding, might, lapse, 2023, October, look, like0 comment

The crazy weather throughout the country seems to be reflected in Congress. On recess, when it returns it will have 12 working days to workout a regular federal budget for 2024. Ain’t gonna happen. Joining the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to explore the possible consequences, the vice president for policy and programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, John Hatton. Interview Transcript: Tom Temin And it looks more and more like, because of political developments in the short time period, there could be a lapse. But…

GSA’s commercial platforms gaining steam, but data, other concerns persist

August 9, 2023 concerns, data, Persist, Platforms, Steam, Gaining, GSA’s, Commercial0 comment

Three years into the Commercial Platforms Initiative, the vision Congress had for the initiative isn’t necessarily coming to fruition. But new data and analysis shows that doesn’t mean it’s a failure by any means. The number of agencies using the platform more than quadrupled between 2020 and 2022 to 27 and the spending, while far below initial estimates of $ 6 billion have increased to $ 40 million last fiscal year. And beyond the raw numbers, agencies told the Government Accountability Office in a new report that it is saving them…

Now both chambers of Congress are investigating Microsoft email breach

August 5, 2023 Congress, Microsoft, both, breach, Investigating, email, Chambers0 comment

As Congress settles into August recess, investigations into a high-profile hack of government email accounts are just starting to heat up. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee is now probing the breaches of unclassified Microsoft email accounts at the Commerce Department and State Department, respectively, by a China-linked group. In separate letters sent to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken today, lawmakers request staff briefings on the breaches no later than Aug. 9. The hackers were reportedly able to access the unclassified email of Raimondo herself,…

Contractors are also combing through the House and Senate defense authorization bills

August 1, 2023 Senate, House, Defense, bills, through, Contractors, also, Authorization, combing0 comment

The defense authorization bills, while contentious, would do a lot for contractors; from inflation relief to easing greenhouse gas emissions reporting. For a summary, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin spoke with Haynes Boone procurement attorney Dan Ramish. Interview Transcript: Tom Temin The defense authorization bills, while contentious, would do a lot for contractors from inflation relief to easing greenhouse gas emissions reporting. We get a summary from Haynes Boone procurement attorney Dan Ramish. And I guess, Dan, we should begin by noting, even though the House and the Senate have…