Oversight

Management challenges stymie hazardous waste cleanup

The Energy Department's poor record of overseeing contracts is threatening projects critical to public health and national security.

Defense

State Department review promises transparency, civilian ‘face’

Pentagon-style quadrennial assessment sets agenda for multiagency coordination of foreign aid and crisis response.

Oversight

Senate working on short-term funding measure

Continuing resolution would fund agencies for 45 to 90 days early next year.

Oversight

Congress keeps government open for a few more days

Five-day extension of continuing resolution is aimed at providing time to work out a deal on a long-term funding measure.

Oversight

Energy Department announces contractor pay freeze

Bonus payments also would be put on ice for two years.

Defense

From Nextgov.com: Defense tool linking disaster relief community set to relaunch by end of year

All Partners Access Network will improve chat functions and registration , as well as add e-mail.

Oversight

Maryland lawmaker gets top Democratic House oversight spot

Rep. Elijah Cummings will have to counter fiery incoming chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, who is expected to question the Obama administration aggressively.

Oversight

Senate passes, House rejects bill mandating new performance goals, better reporting

Measure requires agencies to name chief operating and performance improvement officers.

Oversight

Democrats give up on omnibus bill, likely avert a shutdown

Senators abandon effort to pass a $1.11 trillion fiscal 2011 spending bill, will focus on short-term continuing resolution.

Defense

From Nextgov.com: DHS chief says cybersecurity is a civilian -- not military -- problem

Homeland Security will partner with Defense and private sector to safeguard Internet users and infrastructure , Napolitano says.

Oversight

New Congress could put the brakes on insourcing

Lawmakers want to slow down and assess whether the Obama administration initiative is being implemented strategically, say current and former staff members.

Oversight

Agencies unveil renewable energy roadmap

Proposal targets specific zones for solar energy development on federal land in six Western states.

Oversight

Possibility of government shutdown looms

Current stopgap funding legislation expires midnight Saturday.

Defense

Poll finds new low in Afghan war support

New study finds 60 percent of Americans said that the war is "not worth fighting," a new high in public dissatisfaction.

Defense

Military academies report a 64 percent increase in sexual assault reports

Defense officials estimate fewer than 10 percent of incidents are actually reported at the academies.

Defense

House votes again to repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell'

Stand-alone bill seeks to pressure the Senate to act before adjournment and get a repeal measure to the White House.

Oversight

From Nextgov.com: Senate panel approves VA tech budget below president’s request

Omnibus spending bill also puts a hold on $742.8M until CIO outlines costs for IT projects.

Oversight

Senate omnibus spending bill laden with earmarks

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and others are devising a plan to require that the entire 1,924-page bill be read aloud on the Senate floor -- a move that could delay a final vote.

Oversight

Senate appropriator says he has the votes to pass catch-all spending bill

Package caps discretionary spending at $1.108 trillion, the level that Republicans demanded this year.

Oversight

Solutions offered to reduce delays in confirming presidential appointees

Brookings scholars examine why previous reform proposals have been stalled by congressional partisanship and paperwork burdens.