Category: Congress

Feasibility of RIFs around a government shutdown called into question

government, around, shutdown, called, Feasibility, RIFs, question, into0 comment

The Trump administration is taking a more aggressive approach than usual to what would happen in a government shutdown, after a White House memo Wednesday night told agencies to plan for further reductions in force if government funding lapses early next week. But with just days left before a government shutdown, many are questioning the ability for agencies to put together further RIF plans at all, since the reduction-in-force process is typically complicated and time-consuming, often taking months or longer. The new Office of Management and Budget memo, first reported…

Read More...

CISA names cyber policy vet to lead infrastructure security division

security, lead, Cyber, names, Division, infrastructure, CISA, Policy0 comment

A longtime federal official is now leading the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s infrastructure security division. CISA announced Tuesday that Steve Casapulla has been appointed executive assistant director for infrastructure security. Casapulla had been serving as interim assistant director for the National Risk Management Center and acting chief strategy officer. He previously served as director for critical infrastructure cybersecurity in the Office of the National Cyber Director. Casapulla had also spent 13 years at CISA and its predecessor, the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate. “I’m honored…

Read More...

Senate rejects competing bills to fund government, increasing risk of shutdown on Oct. 1

government, Rejects, risk, shutdown, bills, Fund, increasing, Competing, Oct., Senate0 comment

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate rejected competing measures on Friday to fund federal agencies for a few weeks when the new budget year begins on Oct. 1, increasing prospects for a partial government shutdown on that date. Leaders of the two parties sought to blame the other side for the standoff. Democrats accused Republicans of not negotiating with them to address some of their priorities on health care as part of the funding measure, even though they knew Democratic votes would be needed to get a bill to the president’s…

Read More...

Lawmakers press OPM on ‘critical’ staffing, funding issues in Postal insurance program

Press, Lawmakers, issues, Postal, Program, funding, Insurance, critical, staffing0 comment

Less than two months away from this fall’s Open Season, Democrats in Congress are raising concerns that the Office of Personnel Management may not be fully prepared to administer the major health insurance program for millions of Postal Service employees and annuitants. Top Democrats from several congressional committees sent a letter Friday to OPM Director Scott Kupor to push for answers about key issues recently identified in the new Postal Service Health Benefits program. The letter comes a few months after the agency’s inspector general office found “critical” staffing vacancies…

Read More...

Appeals court rules Trump doesn’t have the authority to fire Copyright Office director

director, authority, Fire, Doesn't, rules, Office, Trump, appeals, copyright, Court0 comment

WASHINGTON (AP) — A divided appeals court ruled Wednesday that President Donald Trump doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally remove and replace the director of the U.S. Copyright Office. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted 2-1 to temporarily block Trump’s Republican administration from firing Shira Perlmutter as the register of copyrights, who advises Congress on copyright issues. Perlmutter claims Trump fired her in May because he disapproved of advice she gave to Congress in a report related to artificial intelligence.…

Read More...

From Director Vought to A-11 update, OMB minimizing GAO’s role

UPDATE, from, director, Role, GAO’s, Vought, minimizing0 comment

The Office of Management and Budget is making its feelings known about the Government Accountability Office publicly and in regulations. Russ Vought, OMB’s director, said yesterday that GAO, like other independent agencies, doesn’t have a place in overseeing the executive branch. “We are not big fans of GAO. They are a quasi-legislative independent entity. Again, something that shouldn’t exist,” Vought said during a speech at the National Conservatism Conference. Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Prior to the speech, OMB also made its stance about…

Read More...