Category: Congress

Deleted texts newest reason given to DHS IG to immediately resign

immediately, Given, newest, texts, Deleted, Reason, resign0 comment

The top oversight official at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is being asked to resign. Two top House Democrats are calling on DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari to immediately step down, after he admitted to deleting texts off his government-issued phone. Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), along with oversight subcommittee ranking member Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), said Cuffari is unfit to lead the IG office. During a hearing earlier this week, Cuffari said he routinely deletes texts off his government phone, but he did not believe those…

Read More...

Now that the debt ceiling debate has been settled, it’s back to business-as-usual for contractors…right?

back, It's, Ceiling, settled, been, businessasusual, contractors…right, debate, debt0 comment

The debt ceiling debate has absorbed many in Washington over the past few weeks, as well as those whose business prospects are directly tied to federal spending. Now that a deal is done, how are they feeling about it? To find out,  Federal Drive with Tom Temin  spoke with federal contracting expert Larry Allen. Interview Transcript:  Larry Allen I think the good news is now that we have a debt ceiling agreement, that the rest of the fiscal year for fiscal year 23 should be pretty strong. Congress has appropriated a…

Read More...

How about evidence-based policy making not just for you, but for Congress?

Policy, Congress, about, just, Making, evidencebased0 comment

A bipartisan resolution aims to bring more evidence-based policy making to Congress. It would establish a commission to, in the words of the sponsors, “facilitate the integration of robust data in the legislative process.” For more about what that would do, Federal Drive with Tom Temin talks with one of the main backers of the resolution, Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) Interview Transcript:  Tom Temin And tell us exactly what you envisioned for a commission to establish evidence-based policymaking on the Hill. Derek Kilmer Let’s just start with the problem statement,…

Read More...

Congress aims to reauthorize Commerce telecom agency for first time in three decades

telecom, first, Congress, Time, three, aims, Agency, Commerce, decades, reauthorize0 comment

Congress is considering reauthorization of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration this year, with leading lawmakers casting the agency in a critical role overseeing issues ranging from federal spectrum management and broadband Internet expansion to emerging developments in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. NTIA was last reauthorized 30 years ago. During a House Energy and Commerce communications and technology subcommittee hearing last week, Chairman Bob Latta (R-Ohio) introduced a discussion draft of his “National Telecommunication and Information Administration Reauthorization Act of 2023.” The bill is among a raft of legislation the…

Read More...

Dissatisfied with OPM’s data, Republicans ask individual agencies for telework details

telework, Republicans, details, data, Agencies, dissatisfied', Individual, OPM’s0 comment

With many agencies’ return-to-office plans still uncertain, Republicans on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee want to take matters into their own hands. GOP committee leaders changed their strategy for trying to get more federal telework data, now reaching out directly to agency heads. In a series of 25 letters, the lawmakers asked for up-to-date  numbers of teleworking federal employees, after saying the Biden administration was “not adequately tracking the specific levels of telework.” The Biden administration “has not provided current data about the specific amount of telework occurring within…

Read More...

After four year delay, agencies to get 21st Century IDEA Act guidance this summer

21st, Guidance, after, year, This, four, Delay, summer, Idea, Agencies, Century0 comment

First, there as the pandemic. Then, there was the change in administration. At the same time, there were several high profile cyber threats to deal with. But the time has come to put the 21st Century IDEA Act, passed and signed into law in 2018, to the front of the priority list. The Office of Management and Budget finally is ready to issue implementation guidance for the nearly four-plus-year-old law. Federal Chief Information Officer Clare Martorana said yesterday the new guidance will hopefully come out this summer, following a similar…

Read More...