Pay & Benefits
House backs 2.7 percent civilian pay raise for 2007
Bill specifically includes Defense, Homeland Security employees in the increase.
Defense
Agencies may not meet goal of speeding security clearances
Industry officials predict December deadline could be tough even for swiftest agencies.
Tech
House committee OKs standards for security tools, training
Measure also would require DHS to create a program for transferring to the private sector terrorism and disaster response technology developed with federal funding.
Management
Legislator defends OMB program evaluation tool
Amendment to Labor-HHS spending bill would block use of ratings.
Defense
Panel rejects stricter measures to protect chemical plants
Committee defeats several amendments to bill giving DHS authority to regulate facilities making, processing, storing or selling chemicals.
Management
House votes to block outsourcing of tax collections
Transportation-Treasury appropriations bill provision would freeze 2007 funding for contractor program.
Tech
Auditors blame VA data breach on security flaws
Inspector general reports have noted information security vulnerabilities at the agency since 1997.
Management
Top Democrat says he would lead oversight panel in bipartisan manner
Postal reform bill is an example of a substantive measure that could be handled without partisan fighting, Waxman says.
Defense
Fraudulent Katrina aid may exceed $1 billion
GAO revises its estimate of improper payments in FEMA disaster assistance program upward, to as much as $1.4 billion.
Management
House GOP leader previews report on cutting government waste
Next week, House is scheduled to take up line-item veto, sunset commission legislation.
Defense
House panel approves Defense, Labor-HHS spending bills
Full chamber passes $94.5 billion supplemental spending measure for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, border security, hurricane relief and pandemic flu preparedness.
Tech
Privacy language urged for bill to digitize federal employee health records
Legislation would give 8 million federal workers access to free health records.
Management
Senate bill paves way for pay-for-performance
Legislation introduced by Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, requires beefed-up performance reviews, but stops short of fully linking raises to ratings.
Defense