Congress | Voter.org

And old health network is about to get a shot in the arm

November 15, 2024 about, Network, shot, health0 comment

For the first time in decades, the Health and Human Services department plans to shake up an obscure system. It’s the one controlling human organs destined for transplant patients. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network serves some 100,000 patients and their families and officials say it’s overdue for modernization. The Federal Drive with Tom Temin got more details from the administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, Carole Johnson. Interview transcript: Tom Temin And you’re kind of like the small agency does so much that nobody has heard of…

Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far

November 11, 2024 People, positions, Trump, Here, picked0 comment

President-elect Donald Trump is starting to fill key posts in his second administration, putting an emphasis so far on aides and allies who were his strongest backers during the 2024 campaign. Here’s a look at who he’s selected so far. Susie Wiles, chief of staff Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Wiles has a background in Florida politics. She helped Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him…

It’s time to take out the garbage

November 3, 2024 Take, Time, It's, 'garbage'0 comment

Garbage. Hitler. Low IQ. Fascist. Gross incompetent. Unstable. Obsessed. How elegant our political speech has become. It all sounds like an electronic toy we had in the house when the kids were little. You pushed a button on the Insultinator, and it would emit from a library of words, a rude sentence. Something like this: “You’re a boring, stupid, obnoxious loser!” in a grating voice. Like our candidates, this green plastic gadget could create many variations of insults. Luckily my kids survived this ridiculous item with their manners intact. Balzac’s…

New bill calls for penalizing career federal workers for policy resistance

October 30, 2024 workers, Bill, Resistance, career, penalizing, Policy, calls, federal0 comment

A new bill in the House would penalize career federal employees who don’t follow directives from a presidential administration. The so-called STRAFE Act would require agencies to report any policy resistance from federal employees to the White House. The penalties for violations would be on par with the consequences for Hatch Act violations. Texas Republican August Pfluger, who introduced the bill, said it’s meant to combat what he described as employees’ “coordinated resistance” to policies during the former Trump administration. It’s the same phenomenon that former Trump officials have…

Legislation to axe locality pay for teleworking feds gets Senate companion

October 26, 2024 gets, Legislation, Feds, teleworking, locality, companion, Senate0 comment

Senate legislation targeting locality pay for federal teleworkers now has a companion bill in the House. If enacted, the Federal Employee Return to Work Act would remove locality pay for any federal employee who teleworks at least one day a week. Federal teleworkers would instead only receive their base pay rates. The House bill, introduced this week, comes after Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the legislation in August. The Republican-led bill is one of many efforts to scale back telework options for federal employees. (Federal Employee Return to Work Act…

Chevron decision already leaving Congress, agencies puzzled

October 22, 2024 Congress, already, Decision, Agencies, Leaving, Chevron, puzzled0 comment

In a landmark decision that will greatly curtail the power of federal agencies, the Supreme Court recently overturned the longstanding doctrine that directs judges to give deference to agency interpretation of ambiguous statutory language. The new ruling means that courts will now only defer to agencies when laws explicitly state the agency can make its own interpretation. It also assigns our legislative branch the added responsibility of crafting even more judicious and well-considered legislation. Given its reputation for allowing disagreements to impede progress, the Chevron decision presents Congress with a…