Congress | Voter.org

Returning to the office will not solve the backlogs lawmakers are worried about

February 19, 2022 about, Lawmakers, solve, Office, worried, Returning, backlogs0 comment

Republicans having been trying to coerce agencies to bring employees back to the office for the better part of the last year. Each of the previous bills, like Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s (R-Texas) and Sen. Roger Marshall’s (R-Kan.) bills from August that would have required agencies to return to the telework policies of Feb. 14, 2020, or the most recent one from Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) that would require agencies to reinstate their telework policies used before the COVID-19 pandemic as of Dec. 19, 2019, never moved from the starting line.…

IRS walks away from facial recognition to access online tools after backlash

February 7, 2022 after, Access, from, Online, away, backlash, recognition, tools, walks, facial0 comment

The IRS will transition away from using facial recognition technology to help taxpayers create online accounts with the agency. The IRS announced Monday that it will “quickly develop and bring online an additional authentication process that does not involve facial recognition,” in order for taxpayers to access self-help services on the agency’s website. “The IRS will also continue to work with its cross-government partners to develop authentication methods that protect taxpayer data and ensure broad access to online tools,” the agency said in a statement. The IRS changed course after…

Your agency after COVID: What’s next for you?

February 3, 2022 after, Next, Agency, What's, Covid0 comment

Once the war against COVID (with 900,000 plus U.S. casualties) is declared to be over, long-time feds know what’s next: The media will be there of course, second-guessing decisions which, at the time, seemed like the right (or only) thing to do. But first steps will be taken by Washington-based politicians with jurisdictions over the various federal departments, agencies and bureaus involved in the pandemic fight. Those conducting the investigations/witchhunts (choose one) will either be savvy long-time pols who survived the mid-terms or newcomers anxious to make their political bones.…

Sour labor relations continue to dot the government

January 30, 2022 government, Continue, Relations, Labor, sour0 comment

For a group that says it’s committed to the federal workforce, the Biden administration sure is saddled with some lousy labor relations situations. You can’t really blame the administration, though. A couple of long-festering labor-management issues lie only partially within the White House’s control. Specifically, it needs Senate confirmation of a few specific nominees to settle things down. They only number 580 federal employees, but the Justice Department’s immigration judges are upset. The Federal Labor Relations Authority just reaffirmed its 2020 ruling that the judges are management employees and therefore…

Shift in Congressional majority could drive Democrats’ oversight agenda

January 26, 2022 Democrats, could, oversight, congressional, Majority, shift, Drive, agenda0 comment

Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drive’s daily audio interviews on <a href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/federal-drive-with-tom-temin/id1270799277?mt=2″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href=”https://www.podcastone.com/federal-drive-with-tom-temin?pid=1753589″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>PodcastOne</a>. People who track politics say the majority in Congress could switch next year from Democratic to Republican. If that’s the case, that prospect will drive the Democrats’ oversight agenda for the rest of 2022. Some congressional leaders have laid out their agendas on paper. For what agencies can expect, the <a href=”https://federalnewsnetwork.com/category/temin/tom-temin-federal-drive/”>Federal Drive with Tom Temin </a>turned to Hogan Lovells attorney and former House Foreign…

National Guard’s hybrid status makes sexual assault confusing to prosecute

January 22, 2022 makes, National, assault, Sexual, status, Prosecute, Guard’s, hybrid, confusing0 comment

After spending the last year revamping the Defense Department’s sexual assault prosecution avenues, Congressional leaders are now diving into the complex patchwork of legalities surrounding the issue in the National Guard. Lawmakers are concerned that the hybrid nature of the National Guard is leaving gaps in DoD and law enforcement’s ability to oversee and bring legal proceedings against sexual assault offenders. “The individual stories of Guard personnel caught in a web of confusing bureaucracy are harrowing,” Rep. Jackie Speier, chairwoman of the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee said during a…