Congress | Voter.org

GAO says Air Force decision on SPACECOM location was sloppy

June 3, 2022 sloppy, says, Force, Decision, Location, SPACECOM0 comment

The Air Force may have picked the location for U.S. Space Command’s headquarters legally, but that doesn’t mean it did the job well. The Government Accountability Office says the service missed some serious best practices in its decision to move SPACECOM from Colorado Springs, Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama. The move provoked Congressional claims of foul play the Trump administration and a Defense Department Inspector General’s investigation. The GAO report, which the organization released Thursday, states that the Air Force only followed seven of the 21 analysis of alternatives best practices,…

Two agencies point the finger when it comes to keeping track of tech spending

May 30, 2022 point, finger, Agencies, comes, keeping, Tech, spending, Track0 comment

To listen to the Federal Newscast on your phone or mobile device, subscribe in <a href=”https://www.podcastone.com/federal-newstalk?showAllEpisodes=true”>PodcastOne</a> or <a href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/federal-newscast/id1053077930?mt=2″>Apple Podcasts</a>. The best listening experience on desktop can be found using Chrome, Firefox or Safari. <ul> <li>A bill requiring federal agencies to come up with a plan to recycle their electric vehicle batteries moves ahead in Congress. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approves the <a href=”https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-joins-colleagues-in-introducing-bipartisan-bill-to-ensure-appropriate-use-and-recycling-of-federal-electric-vehicle-batteries/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Strategic EV Management Act</a>. The bill requires the General Services Administration and the Office of Management and Budget to come up with a plan…

Is the current nomination process hurting national security?

May 26, 2022 security, Nomination, National, Hurting, Process, current0 comment

The nation’s national security may be taking a hit because of the length of time it takes to fill lesser-known, Senate-confirmed positions in the Defense Department, FEMA, Department of Homeland Security and other areas protecting U.S. citizens. That’s according to a new study from the Partnership for Public Service, which studying the amount of time it took to fill security-related nominations in post-9/11 America. The result is that considering the demands faced by natural disasters, global threats and other worrisome aspects of living on earth, the government is taking too…

House Republicans look to get feds back to the office

May 22, 2022 Republicans, House, look, back, Office, Feds0 comment

To listen to the Federal Newscast on your phone or mobile device, subscribe in <a href=”https://www.podcastone.com/federal-newstalk?showAllEpisodes=true”>PodcastOne</a> or <a href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/federal-newscast/id1053077930?mt=2″>Apple Podcasts</a>. The best listening experience on desktop can be found using Chrome, Firefox or Safari. <ul> <li>Some Republican lawmakers want to press pause on making remote work permanent. <a href=”https://herrell.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-herrell-introduces-show-act-ensure-federal-workforce-provides-timely” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.)</a> calls on agencies to give Congress a plan to address the adverse effects of remote work. The SHOW UP Act would require federal agencies to fully return to pre-pandemic telework policies, bringing employees back to the office. The bill…

Agencies may need to change to adapt to post-COVID workplaces

May 18, 2022 Adapt, postCOVID, workplaces, need, Change, Agencies0 comment

To listen to the Federal Newscast on your phone or mobile device, subscribe in <a href=”https://www.podcastone.com/federal-newstalk?showAllEpisodes=true”>PodcastOne</a> or <a href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/federal-newscast/id1053077930?mt=2″>Apple Podcasts</a>. The best listening experience on desktop can be found using Chrome, Firefox or Safari. <ul> <li>The Small Business Administration is coming under fire for how it has managed a key loan program to help businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. <a href=”https://republicans-smallbusiness.house.gov/uploadedfiles/5-17-22_-_letter_on_closing_of_eidl_to_sba_for_distribution.pdf” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Seventeen Republican lawmakers</a> wrote to SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman seeking information about how the agency managed the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The lawmakers say administrative missteps continued to…

How much does inflation actually matter to DoD and can it be fixed?

May 10, 2022 Actually, much, fixed, Matter, Inflation0 comment

The word inflation is being bantered about in Congress relating to the Pentagon’s 2023 budget quite a bit as senior leaders justify their funding decisions for the upcoming year. However, how important is inflation to the actual military budget, especially when the budget, after all, is just a recommendation? Last week, the Defense Department provided important information to Congress on how it is thinking about the nation’s inflation rate in terms of next year’s budget. The letter, requested by both Armed Services Committees’ ranking members, provided tidbits of insider knowledge…