Workforce

Bipartisan bill would let VA medical employees grieve compensation mistakes

Unlike most federal workers, medical professionals at the Veterans Affairs Department are unable to negotiate over compensation adjustments like payroll errors.

Defense

Tuberville says he'll drop his hold on most military promotions

Alabama senator says he will keep the brakes on some of the most senior officers’ nominations.

Management

Porter reintroduces a bill that would form a natural disaster safety board

The California congresswoman redrafted a bill with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., to establish an agency to help investigate and mitigate the effects of natural disasters in the U.S.

Pay & Benefits

Democrats reintroduce bill to improve locality pay for some federal jobs

The Locality Pay Equity Act would ensure that locality pay determinations, currently bifurcated between the General Schedule and Federal Wage System pay scales, would be consistent for most federal employees.

Management

Congress averts shutdown after Senate approves two-tiered CR

President Biden is expected to sign the measure to keep agencies funded past Friday.

Defense

Tuberville's blockade of military nominees could be evaded after move by Senate panel

The Republican senator has been objecting to the time-saving unanimous consent process since the spring to display his opposition to a policy that grants members of the armed services time off and travel reimbursement when seeking an abortion in states where it remains unrestricted.

Management

VA officials reassigned following a House Committee's investigation into harassment allegations

Members of the office tasked with investigating harassment claims have been transferred following an investigation by the House Veterans Affairs Committee into sexual misconduct claims within that office. 

Oversight

What are agencies doing with AI? A bipartisan Senate duo wants to know

Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, sent letters to three federal agencies probing into their use of artificial intelligence systems.

Management

House GOP floats telework restrictions, drastic spending cuts as Congress weighs options to avert shutdown

House and Senate have diverging plans to temporarily keep agencies afloat as Republicans propose budget rescissions and civilian job reductions.

Pay & Benefits

Senate version of bill to standardize retiree COLAs emerges

The reintroduction of the Equal COLA Act by Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., comes just weeks after the 2024 cost of living adjustment announcement revived complaints about how the government calculates annual increases across retirement systems.

Management

The Women’s Bureau has spent 100 years improving work for women — but the House wants to eliminate it

For the first time in at least a decade, the House has put forward a funding bill that includes no money for the only federal agency to “represent the needs and interests of working women.”

Defense

The Pentagon may never get to the bottom of that famous UFO video

The DOD’s office is creating a way for former government employees to reach out with information about UFOs.

Defense

Senate confirms first woman to lead Navy, key joint staff vacancies

However, hundreds of confirmations are still blocked by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.

Management

House speaker pitches funding plan with rolling shutdown threats

Different agencies would face different shutdown deadlines under House GOP proposal.

Management

House GOP proposal to link IRS cuts to Israel aid draws quick, bipartisan criticism

House Republicans are so far ignoring Biden's request to link the aid with hiring surges at immigration and border security agencies.

Pay & Benefits

Senate panel advances measures to overhaul federal workers’ death benefits, agency customer service

The money families of federal workers who die while on the job receive in gratuity and funerary benefits has not been updated since 1997.

Workforce

New House speaker has a plan to avoid a shutdown—and to overhaul the civil service

Mike Johnson is giving his Republican colleagues options to keep agencies open while the larger spending fight plays out.

News

After three weeks of stalemate, Louisiana's Mike Johnson is elected speaker of the House

Johnson, who does not have a strong bipartisan track record, will be tasked with working with the Democratic-controlled Senate on a quickly approaching Nov.17 government funding deadline.