Category: Congress

Is the current nomination process hurting national security?

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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…

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House Republicans look to get feds back to the office

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<p><em>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.</em></p> <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…

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

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<p><em>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.</em></p> <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…

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

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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…

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What the ones who actually have a say in next year’s budget are saying

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<p><em>Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drive’s daily audio interviews on </em><a href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/federal-drive-with-tom-temin/id1270799277?mt=2″><em><span style=”color: #0070c0;”>Apple Podcast</span></em><span style=”color: #0070c0;”>s</span></a><em> or <a href=”https://www.podcastone.com/federal-drive-with-tom-temin?pid=1753589″>PodcastOne</a>.</em></p> <p>The Biden administration&#8217;s budget proposal for 2023 would give magnificent, double-digit increases to some large agencies, notably Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services and Commerce. But can Congress deal with it in any meaningful way by Oct. 1? The <a href=”https://federalnewsnetwork.com/category/temin/tom-temin-federal-drive/”><strong><em>Federal Drive with Tom Temin</em></strong></a> got analysis from Bloomberg Government congress reporter Jack Fitzpatrick.</p> <p><em>Interview transcript:</em></p> <blockquote><p><strong>Tom Temin:</strong> Jack, good to have you back.</p> <p><strong>Jack Fitzpatrick: </strong>Thanks…

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Congress is working to establish some order for the 2023 budget process

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<p><em>Best listening experience is on Chrome, Firefox or Safari. Subscribe to Federal Drive’s daily audio interviews on </em><a href=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/federal-drive-with-tom-temin/id1270799277?mt=2″><em><span style=”color: #0070c0;”>Apple Podcast</span></em><span style=”color: #0070c0;”>s</span></a><em> or <a href=”https://www.podcastone.com/federal-drive-with-tom-temin?pid=1753589″>PodcastOne</a>.</em></p> <p>Members of Congress know the budget process, their primary mission in life, is a mess. But some efforts are brewing that at least some members hope will get the 2023 budget process under control. The <a href=”https://federalnewsnetwork.com/category/temin/tom-temin-federal-drive/”><strong><em>Federal Drive with Tom Temin</em></strong></a> got the latest now from Bloomberg Government deputy news director Loren Duggan.</p> <p><em>Interview transcript:</em></p> <blockquote><p><strong>Tom Temin:</strong> Tell us, Loren, what&#8217;s going on here with the…

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