Congress
Agency leaders back GSA bid for full access to federal building repair funds
Officials argued that GSA’s deferred maintenance backlog has increased to an estimated $26 billion, in part, because Congress puts annual restrictions on amounts the agency can spend from the Federal Buildings Fund.
FEMA is not ready for hurricane season due to Trump upheaval, House Democrats argue
The administration has recently reinstated some disaster staffers to promote readiness.
House GOP probes agency settlements with federal workers
Republican members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee argued agencies should settle less often with feds who allege prohibited personnel practices, but experts say the government acts similarly to private sector litigants.
Hegseth rethinking Army reforms, cuts to aviation
One year after launching the Army Transformation Initiative, the Defense secretary says he's reviewing the to-do list.
Watchdog recommends nearly 100 ways for agencies to save tens of billions
Agencies have implemented a majority of previous Government Accountability Office recommendations regarding duplicative federal programs, generating almost $775 billion in financial benefits.
Dems introduce bill to protect feds’ credit scores during shutdowns
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he was inspired to draft the legislation after hearing from TSA workers whose inability to pay their bills during the 78-day partial government shutdown hurt their credit scores even after they began receiving back pay.
Easing USPS handgun shipping rules will exacerbate crime, warns Democrat
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., is challenging the Postal Service’s plan to treat handguns like rifles and shotguns.
Contracting association warns it could take DHS until the end of the year to ‘get back on track’ following record-breaking shutdown
The Professional Services Council also reported that several contracting companies faced the threat of closure due to missed reimbursements from the government as a result of the funding lapse.
Coast Guard officer promotion advanced by Senate Republicans despite IG finding of whistleblower retaliation
Commander Jesse Millard was approved in committee on a party-line vote, despite Senate Democrats demanding that his promotion be withdrawn.
IRS whistleblower program set for possible overhaul after bipartisan House vote
The measure would reshape how claims move through the system, how court reviews are handled and how payments are ultimately made. Over its history, the program has recovered about $7.5 billion.
Former civil servants aim to shape policy as members of Congress
Dozens of federal employees who left or were pushed out of government in 2025 are now running for office.
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Senators demand OPM withdraw plan to access feds’ medical records
More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers warned that a little-scrutinized proposal to collect claims-level data related to the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs could violate federal law and doctor-client confidentiality.
USDA is moving forward with various reorgs despite legal questions and bipartisan concerns
“This might be the best idea since sliced bread, I don’t know,” one Republican said.
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Vought defends fiscal 2027 budget request, as Democrats criticize OMB for violating spending law
The Trump administration proposed a 10% reduction to spending on non-defense agencies.
House Dems: OPM ‘omitted’ employee departures from retirement backlog investigation
In responding to a December 2025 congressional inquiry, the Office of Personnel Management noted the separation of around 35 customer service representatives last year, but failed to mention more than 100 departures from its Retirement Services division.
Top Oversight Dem criticizes OPM’s forced distribution plan for federal worker appraisals
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said that the federal government’s dedicated HR agency failed to sufficiently grapple with past OPM policy or the wealth of research finding that forced distribution models for performance appraisals is counterproductive to organizational health.
Nearly 200 employees could move to Alabama this year under a Space Command plan
April will see the ribbon cut on a new top-secret facility that will serve as its headquarters, its commander told lawmakers.
New bills would extend whistleblower protections to more feds
The measures specifically deal with civil servants who investigate and report wrongdoing in their normal duties and ones who work for government corporations.
DHS nominee clears key Senate hurdle, setting up final confirmation vote
Final vote on Markwayne Mullin's nomination could come as soon as Monday as the department remains shut down.
Inspector general’s reported plan to run for Congress is a Hatch Act violation, lawmakers and ethics orgs say
Federal employees are not permitted to run for partisan office or to prepare for such an election.
