Category: Congress

The Trump opening agenda is taking most of Congress’ time now

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Two horses of the so-called government trifecta — the House and Senate — find themselves deep in the business of the new Trump administration. Bloomberg Government deputy news director Loren Duggan joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss what’s immediately ahead. Interview transcript: Tom Temin: And really, the agenda of Congress is different than it would have been had a different election outcome occurred. So what can we expect in the immediate future? Let’s talk about confirmations. That seems to be all the Senate is really doing right…

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9 GOP bills for federal employees to track in the new Congress

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At the start of the 119th Congress, lawmakers were quick to introduce a flurry of bills that would have lasting consequences for the federal workforce. Much of the GOP-led legislation will be familiar to federal employees — a majority of the bills have been reintroduced for at least the last couple of years. But now that Republicans hold a majority in both chambers of Congress, and with the incoming Trump administration, the prospects for the legislation may be shifting. Here are just a handful of bills from Republican lawmakers in…

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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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