Oversight
Lawmakers Demand Answers on Alleged EPA Ethics Violations
House overseers say they found multiple instances in which officials flouted required ethics pledges and other disclosures.
Oversight
Top Democrat Asks Secret Service How Much It Has Spent Protecting the Trump Family on Trips
Request comes in preparation for the fiscal 2021 budget process.
Oversight
Meet the House Republicans Who Want to Rein In Trump On War
After the Soleimani strike, a working group of moderate Republicans and Democrats trying to “clarify” Congress’s war responsibilities hope they can build momentum.
Management
Would Converting Some DHS Political Positions to Career Ones Help Employee Morale?
Good government group recommends this as one way to address long-term challenges with dissatisfaction among employees.
Oversight
Analysis: Can the Constitution Stop the Government from Lying to the Public?
When a person or agency backed by the power and resources of the government tells a lie, it sometimes causes harm that only the government can inflict.
Oversight
Good Government Groups Push for Nonpartisan Panel to Find FEC Commissioners
They wrote to the White House and Senate leadership on Monday urging the speedy restoration of a quorum and then a panel to help fill the remaining seats.
Defense
Trump, like Obama, Tests the Limits of Presidential War Powers
Both President Trump and President Obama used military force without informing Congress, or getting its approval. But the differences reveal more than the similarities.
Oversight
House Passes War Powers Resolution to Limit War With Iran
The measure is legally toothless, but could still have some political impact.
Management
Senate Confirms Trump’s Pick for Regulations Czar
Paul Ray served as the acting head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs before receiving the nomination.
Oversight
House Lawmakers Issue ‘Ultimatum’ to GSA Over Trump Hotel Records Subpoena
GSA disputes the lawmakers’ allegations of noncompliance.
Pay & Benefits
Feds at Two Major Agencies Would Not Get Paid Parental Leave Under New Law
A law authorizing 12 weeks of paid parental leave for federal workers applies only to Title 5 employees, leaving workers at TSA, FAA and elsewhere fearing they will miss out. Democrats are working to change that.
Oversight
IRS Reforms Free File Program, Drops Agreement Not to Compete With TurboTax
The changes come after ProPublica’s reporting showed how TurboTax maker Intuit tricked customers into paying for tax prep they could have gotten for free.
Management
New Funding for Election Security Assistance Doesn’t Go Far Enough, Experts Say
Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Congress appropriated $425 million for states to help secure election infrastructure.
Oversight
The Legal Questions Still Unanswered by Trump’s Impeachment
What exactly is abuse of power? And, for that matter, what is “obstruction of Congress?”
Management
Lawmakers Accuse VA of Violating Bargaining Rules in Workforce Order Implementation
More than 70 House Democrats said the department must bargain with its union before it can implement President Trump’s controversial workforce executive orders.
Oversight
Lawmakers Blast DHS for Missing Deadline for Bipartisan Subpoena of Immigration Documents
The House Homeland Security Committee requested information on the administration's policies related to handling of children and families for the second time.
Oversight
Trump Becomes the Third President in U.S. History to Be Impeached
The voted capped a two-month investigation, but it was years in the making.
Management
Congress Will Not Block Mandated Union Contracts in Spending Bill
In a blow to labor groups, a provision blocking the implementation of collective bargaining agreements that have not been “mutually agreed to” by all parties does not appear in the final spending legislation.
Pay & Benefits
Defense Policy Bill With Paid Parental Leave for Feds Goes to President Trump's Desk
Senate approves the annual Defense authorization act, which provides all federal workers with up to 12 weeks of annual leave for the birth or adoption of a child.
Management