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.
Pay & Benefits
OPM overhauls severe weather leave guidelines
New status designations encourage telework in the event of another snowstorm.
Pay & Benefits
Senate joins push to freeze federal salaries
Omnibus bill moves to floor following House vote to cancel pay increases.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: VA rolls out ‘smart home’ project to rehabilitate brain injury patients
Florida hospital uses technology to help veterans relearn basic but important tasks such as doing the laundry and shaving.
Pay & Benefits
Survey: Managers anticipate pay boosts in spite of freeze
Respondents indicate retirement wave could be smaller than expected.
Pay & Benefits
Senate considers extending transit benefits
Tax bill would keep subsidy at $230 per month for another year.
Pay & Benefits
Federal whistleblower bill passes the Senate
Long-awaited legislation to better protect employees who expose potential fraud, waste or abuse overcomes 11th hour hurdle.
Pay & Benefits
Federal health program is headed for calmer waters in 2011
FEHBP participants aren’t likely to see major upheaval between now and the start of next open season, observer says.
Pay & Benefits
Threats of violence against IRS employees persist
Watchdog report details assaults and bomb scares as well as IG’s moves to centralize data to better gauge which threats are most serious.
Defense
Marines set 90-day civilian hiring freeze
‘Pause’ aimed at meeting Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ order to trim overhead spending.
Defense
Volunteers give back to service members this holiday season
Many nonprofits offer alternative gift-giving ideas that support the troops.
Defense
Senate backers of ‘don’t ask’ repeal to pursue new tactic
Lieberman and Collins will introduce stand-alone legislation that would overturn the gay ban.
Pay & Benefits
Obama signs telework expansion act
Agencies will have about six months to establish formal policies on working outside the office and to notify eligible employees.
Oversight
Agencies’ recruitment efforts show promise
Strategies for hiring veterans, disabled workers and other candidates are improving, report finds.
Pay & Benefits
Congress passes bill allowing military families and retirees to keep their doctors
The bill would prevent a 25 percent cut to payments for physicians participating in the Medicare and TRICARE programs.
Pay & Benefits
Crunch Time
Only a few legislative days remain for Congress to extend transit benefits available to government workers.
Oversight
Spending bill freezes agency budgets, employee pay
House lawmakers push measure forward as Senate continues to work on its version.
Defense