Defense
Undercover officials get license to buy dirty bomb materials
GAO officials used name of bogus business to win approval to buy critical equipment.
Defense
Lawmakers demand speed, efficiency for port worker IDs
House members say they don’t want the Transportation Security Administration to sacrifice accuracy in the process, however.
Defense
Border Patrol apprehensions down along southern border
Agency says decrease indicates decline in illegal activity; union representative suspects activity has shifted to other areas.
Oversight
Administration’s financial management chief to retire
Linda Combs helped update inventory of excess property, guided agencies in reducing payment errors.
Pay & Benefits
Senate appropriators back 3.5 percent civilian pay raise
Committee also approves funding for project to shift paper-based employee retirement records to an electronic system.
Defense
Need for next war spending bill might be delayed
Administration official says money from last supplemental will be left after Sept. 30 because the funding came later than expected.
Oversight
Labor-HHS, transportation spending bills advance
Measures overshoot President Bush's spending targets for fiscal 2008 by $16 billion, which will surely result in a veto fight.
Pay & Benefits
Pay Raise Prospects
The process of approving a 2008 pay raise for federal employees is running smoothly, for now.
Oversight
Appropriator outlines fast pace for remaining spending bills
Anticipated debates over a new farm bill and reauthorizing the State Children's Health Insurance Program will compete for time with the spending measures.
Defense
Lawmaker asks Homeland Security chief to explain attack warning
Chairman of House panel says Michael Chertoff should pick his words more carefully.
Defense
Officials criticize plan to scan all cargo
Current and former Customs and Border Protection chiefs say they favor increasing layers of security for containers.
Oversight
Justice IG calls for jurisdiction over attorneys
Lack of authority to oversee attorneys could impede ethics investigations, IG tells lawmakers.
Pay & Benefits
House backs student loan forgiveness for public servants
Bill would make it easier for college graduates with high loan debt to enter public service.
Defense
Spread of RFID in Defense slower than expected
Full-scale implementation of requirement to use passive RFID systems to track supplies has been delayed.
Defense
Report details phone access problems in immigrant detention facilities
Review finds detainees often unable to contact lawyers, consulates or complaint hotlines.
Oversight
Senator criticizes GSA plans to cut office supply program
A group of lawmakers, led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., says the move would hurt small companies and hamper disaster recovery efforts.
Oversight