Digital Government

Dodaro is new comptroller general

Gene Dodaro was sworn in Dec. 30 as the comptroller general of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office.

Modernization

House floor could get gadget-happy

BlackBerrys, iPads and smartphones could soon be showing up on the floor of the House, under new rules introduced by House Republican leaders.

People

Obama issues pay freeze order

President Barack Obama issued an executive order late Dec. 22 to carry out the two-year federal employee pay freeze that was signed into law that day.

Digital Government

Compete for fun and prizes: Agencies likely to get broad authority to run contests

Federal agencies would receive broad authority to sponsor prize contests for innovation under the America COMPETES Act approved by both houses of Congress.

Digital Government

House passes agency performance bill

The House approved a bill to improve the tracking of federal agency performance late Tuesday after some procedural maneuvers.

People

Senate approves fed employee pay freeze

The Senate has approved a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 4 that includes a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal employees.

Digital Government

Agency funding rules could challenge Obama's IT reform plan

When Federal CIO Vivek Kundra unveiled the White House IT management reform plan earlier this month, he said one of its toughest elements would be aligning the budget process with the technology cycle.

Digital Government

Agency performance bill falls short in House

A bill to improve the tracking of federal agency performance didn’t get enough votes to pass.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity provisions stripped from defense bill

Unsuccessful attempts to mandate federal IT security could open the door to potentially serious risks if cybersecurity legislation isn't revisited in 2011, some officials say.

Cybersecurity

After the spending bill: What now?

What will happen to the new insourcing policies, proposed federal pay freeze and agency IT budgets, now that the Senate omnibus funding bill has been withdrawn?

Digital Government

Issa, Cummings will lead House oversight committee

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has a wide jurisdiction to track how programs are running and propose ways to fix problems.

Digital Government

McKeon, Smith to lead House Armed Services Committee

The panel's leadership will change as Republicans take control of the House in the upcoming Congress.

Digital Government

Senate passes bill to improve agency performance

The Senate has passed legislation that would require federal agencies to set measurable performance goals and improve coordination to avoid duplication.

Digital Government

Federal shutdown a possibility

The federal government's money runs out at midnight Dec. 18 unless the Senate takes quick action.

People

Senate passes bill giving boost to Federal Acquisition Institute

Upgrading the institute and making sure it has enough money will ultimately lead to more effective oversight of government contracting, the measure's backers say.

People

Tax breaks for all -- except some feds

Federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System would not see a 2 percent "tax holiday" under the bill that the Senate passed today.

Digital Government

Ho-hum, more bad news for feds

Well, to add insult to injury (no COLA, pay freeze, higher health insurance premiums, etc.), the new tax bill just approved by the Senate does not include Civil Service Retirement System feds among those who will benefit from a 2 percent reduction in payroll taxes next year.

Digital Government

No, not death panel … DEBT panel

Well, it doesn’t look like the president’s bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility ventured too far from the recommendations released last month by the two chairmen of the panel.

Digital Government

Panel urges cutting federal employment as part of major spending cuts

The White House-led debt reduction panel seeks to save $4 trillion by 2020 by cutting the federal workforce, changing the tax code and imposing annual limits on war spending.

Digital Government

Bad timing for feds nearing retirement

With the leaders of the president’s debt reduction panel calling for a three-year freeze on federal civilian pay, and with budget hawks about to take control of the House, chances are probably good that President Obama’s proposed two-year civilian pay freeze will get through Congress and make its way back to his desk.