Federal Eye

Furloughs to end for U.S. Park Police, Park Service director says

Lisa Rein — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:16:38 GMT

Furloughs for the U.S. Park Police forced by the budget cuts known as sequestration will end June 1, the National Park Service will announce Friday, because the agency was able to find other savings to offset them. “We’re ending the … Continue reading →

Obama nominates new Census director

Josh Hicks — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:36 GMT

President Obama has nominated John H. Thompson to head the U.S. Census Bureau. Thompson, a resident of the District of Columbia, is president and CEO of NORC, a private sector research organization. The president officially nominated him on Thursday. The … Continue reading →

Post-ABC poll: Most Americans still disapprove of sequester

Josh Hicks — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:00:43 GMT

The government-wide spending cuts known as the sequester remain unpopular for most Americans, with little difference in opinion across party lines, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll released Friday. Thirty-seven percent of Americans say they have felt a negative impact … Continue reading →

IRS names replacement for Lerner

Josh Hicks — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:38:43 GMT

The Internal Revenue Service on Thursday announced that it had replaced Lois Lerner, a top official who oversaw the agency’s “determinations” division during the scandal that involved targeting of conservative groups. Ken Corbin, who was deputy director of a larger … Continue reading →

Benefit rules loosened for federal employees in tornado area

Eric Yoder — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:56:22 GMT

Federal employees affected by the Oklahoma tornado are eligible for special considerations in their health insurance and other benefit programs, the Office of Personnel Management said Thursday. In a message to agencies, OPM said it has contacted Federal Employees Health … Continue reading →

Obama to nominate Katherine Archuleta to head OPM

Josh Hicks — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:44:18 GMT

President Obama will name Katherine Archuleta as his choice to head the Office of Personnel Management, White House officials said Thursday. Archuleta previously worked as the Obama campaign’s national political director. She also served as chief of staff for former … Continue reading →

Senate committee approves Obama’s NLRB nominees despite GOP opposition

Josh Hicks — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:00:07 GMT

A Senate committee on Wednesday approved President Obama’s five nominees for the National Labor Relations Board, splitting along party lines but moving the confirmation process to the full Senate. The status of the board has been in limbo since a … Continue reading →

Lerner taking Fifth undermines confidence in IRS

Joe Davidson — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:33:28 GMT

Like plaids with stripes, federal employees wearing the Fifth Amendment don’t look good. We all have the right to wear clothes that clash. And everyone in this country has the right not to provide testimony that could be used against … Continue reading →

Hagel directs Pentagon to seek new software for health records

Steve Vogel — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:37:57 GMT

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on Wednesday directed the Pentagon to seek new healthcare management software that would better integrate military health care records with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The inability of the Department of Defense and the VA … Continue reading →

New IRS boss sends message to workers

Gene Fynes — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:13:33 GMT

With his predecessor facing tough questions from lawmakers, Danny Werfel, the new acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, sent an agency-wide message to employees this morning. Admitting that workers have faced “a difficult last few days,” Werfel gave a stern, direct … Continue reading →

House Democrats’ report says power grid is vulnerable to cyber attacks

Josh Hicks — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:16 GMT

A House Democrat this week released a report that could help resurrect bipartisan legislation he sponsored three years ago to protect the nation’s power grid from cyber attacks and other threats. The analysis, spearheaded by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and released … Continue reading →

President to nominate acting chief Dan Tangherlini to lead GSA

Lisa Rein — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:43 GMT

Thirteen months after he took over the troubled General Services Administration as acting chief, Dan Tangherlini will be nominated by President Obama Wednesday for Senate confirmation as the agency’s official administrator. “Dan Tangherlini has worked tirelessly to restore the trust … Continue reading →

FEMA puts boots on ground for Oklahoma tornado response

Josh Hicks — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:51:37 GMT

The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday sent a host of personnel to Oklahoma in response to the massive tornado that ravaged parts of the state the previous day. FEMA spokesman Daniel Watson said three of its search-and-rescue teams arrived … Continue reading →

Watchdog group sues IRS for stricter tax-exemption rules

Josh Hicks — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:52:31 GMT

The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for D.C. to compel the Internal Revenue Service to impose stricter standards for what types of groups qualify for tax-exempt status. … Continue reading →

Low-wage contractors picket outside federal buildings

Josh Hicks — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:46:43 GMT

A group of food service workers walked off their jobs in the food court of the Ronald Reagan Building Tuesday morning as part of a day-long protest of low wages paid to federal contract employees. A series of protests dubbed … Continue reading →

TSP investment fund again to be used for debt ceiling relief

Eric Yoder — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:18:14 GMT

The government once again plans to resort to a financial maneuver involving federal employee retirement savings pending an increase in the national debt limit. The Treasury Department has notified Congress and the Thrift Savings Plan that because a temporary suspension … Continue reading →

Federal disaster aid headed to Oklahoma as FEMA responds to tornado

Josh Hicks — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:31:48 GMT

President Obama on Monday declared a major federal disaster in response to the behemoth tornado that ripped through Oklahoma, prompting the Federal Emergency Management Agency into action. The declaration makes federal disaster aid available to support recovery efforts in areas … Continue reading →

What’s the appropriate level of White House involvement with IG findings?

Josh Hicks — Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:33 GMT

The White House acknowledged this week that some of its senior officials knew in late-April that the IRS had targeted conservative groups before and after the 2010 midterms, contradicting earlier statements about an inspector general’s report that detailed the scandal. White House … Continue reading →

Customs and Border Protection presents plan to eliminate sequester furloughs

Josh Hicks — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:44:44 GMT

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has submitted a plan to Congress that would eliminate sequester furloughs for the agency despite the $600 million in cuts it will have to make under the automatic spending reductions. The cuts would still include … Continue reading →

Proposed farm bills would cut billions from current spending levels

Josh Hicks — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:00:42 GMT

The House and Senate are set to consider separate five-year farm bills that would cut billions annually from current spending levels after the agriculture committees from both chambers approved the legislation last week. Savings from both plans would come in … Continue reading →

Watchdog says awards for GSA executives were excessive; system lacked transparency

Lisa Rein — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:00:23 GMT

The General Services Administration doled out cash awards to senior executives based on votes of confidence by colleagues who recognized their efforts at grooming talent and running “terrific and productive meetings,” a new report reveals. The “Peer-2-Peer” awards, which cost … Continue reading →

Labor secretary nominee Perez clears early hurdle in confirmation

Josh Hicks — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:30:20 GMT

President Obama’s pick for labor secretary cleared a minor hurdle in the confirmation process Thursday as a Senate committee voted to clear the nomination of Thomas Perez for consideration by the full Senate. Members of the Health, Education, Labor and … Continue reading →

Steven Miller’s resignation memo to IRS employees

Josh Hicks — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:30:14 GMT

Acting Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Steven T. Miller resigned Wednesday amid the agency’s scandal involving targeting of conservative groups that applied for tax-exempt status. Below is the internal memo that Miller sent to IRS employees Wednesday afternoon, shortly before President Obama announced … Continue reading →

Perez confirmation saga continues with upcoming committee vote

Josh Hicks — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:29 GMT

A normally small confirmation hurdle turned into a more serious roadblock last week as Senate lawmakers postponed action on President Obama’s pick for labor secretary. The Senate committee that caused the delay is scheduled to pick up where it left … Continue reading →

VA announces overtime ‘surge’ to battle disability claims backlog

Steve Vogel — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:21:25 GMT

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced Wednesday that it is mandating the use of overtime for claims processors at its 56 regional offices as part of a “surge” aimed at eliminating the disability claims backlog. The announcement is the latest … Continue reading →