Category: Congress

The so-called budget is only the start of a lot of hard work

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The top-line budget agreement Congress worked out last weekend doesn’t mean the work is done. Members still have to work out the agency-by-agency allocations and whatever policy riders each side can stomach. David Berteau, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to give the industry view. Interview transcript: Tom Temin: And this is really going much further than the NDAA with its Title 800 procurement reforms year after year. This is kind of a big, important bill, isn’t it, David? David Berteau: It’s…

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IRS ‘prepared’ for 2025 filing season, but potential spending cuts loom for the agency

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The Internal Revenue Service is preparing for a tax season that will look quite different for 2025, with the coming expansion of the agency’s Direct File program and other modernization efforts — but also a looming possibility of further IRS spending cuts led by Republican lawmakers. For the 2025 tax filing season, the IRS’ Direct File program will be available in 25 states, more than doubling the 12 states where the IRS-run online filing system was an option for taxpayers in 2024. The IRS will begin accepting tax returns on…

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Why Park Police back a bill to modernize the Park Police

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Promotions and other career advancements would come faster for members of the U.S. Park Police under a bill in Congress. The U.S. Park Police Modernization Act was introduced in October. It would bring Park Service personnel practices in line with those of other federal law enforcement agencies. One group supporting this legislation: The National Police Association. Spokesman Betsy Brantner Smith joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Interview transcript: Tom Temin And this bill, is it primarily about personnel practices at the park police or does it go beyond that?…

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Why Mike Johnson’s bid to remain House speaker could be a struggle despite Trump’s support

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Johnson is fighting for his political life, again. The Louisiana Republican’s hold on the House speaker’s gavel and his position as second in line to the presidency will be tested Friday when a new Congress convenes and House Republicans weigh whether to reelect him to the post. The challenge, as always, is that Johnson will need almost every Republican vote to win. Johnson has a singular asset in his favor: President-elect Donald Trump endorsed him for speaker in a social media post at the start of…

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Here are key acquisition provisions in 2025 NDAA

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Several key provisions aimed at streamlining the acquisition process made its way into the 2025 defense policy bill President Joe Biden signed into law on Monday. One of the notable provisions included in the 2025 defense policy bill codifies the middle tier acquisition pathway into law under Title 10.  The middle tier acquisition pathway, which Congress created through section 804 of the fiscal 2016 defense policy bill, allows the Defense Department to deliver capabilities within two to five years of an acquisition program’s start.  The provision in the 2025 defense…

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Trump names his nominees for deputy defense secretary, other top DoD positions

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President-elect Donald Trump has announced his picks for key Pentagon positions, including deputy secretary of defense and undersecretaries for the policy, acquisition and sustainment and research and engineering offices.  On Sunday, Trump’s team said in a press email that Stephen Feinberg, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Cerberus Capital Management, would serve as deputy defense secretary in Trump’s second term. Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm that has made investments across a wide range of industries, including financial services, real estate, and military and defense,  previously owned the…

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