Defense

House Armed Services panel approves $712 billion defense package

Measure includes 3.9 percent military pay raise, half a pecentage point higher than President Bush had requested.

Pay & Benefits

House bill aimed at increasing diversity among senior executives advances

New SES office would be responsible for hiring more women, minorities and persons with disabilities into top government ranks.

Pay & Benefits

Federal paid parental leave bill heads to full House committee

Legislation would allow all federal employees eight weeks of paid leave with benefits for the birth or adoption of a child.

Oversight

Panel doesn't expect letup in air traffic congestion

Recent report calls for capping the number of flights out of New York, more steps to ease delays.

Oversight

House, Senate budget panels clear $3 trillion spending plans

House bill would boost domestic spending while rejecting president's fiscal 2009 budget proposals to cut Medicare and Medicaid spending.

Defense

House panel OKs tech funds to protect borders

Bill backing development of new technology for border patrol and maritime security draws rare bipartisan support.

Oversight

Oversight committee hopefuls enter the spotlight

Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., appears to have the inside track to replace Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., as the top Republican on the House panel.

Defense

Committee Dems favor permanent chemical security rules

DHS regulations designed to identify high risk sites containing dangerous chemicals expire in October 2009.

Oversight

Governmental Affairs Committee moves IG legislation

Measure comes after IGs found blocking investigations or using overly aggressive tactics.

Oversight

E-government bill clears senate government panel

Reauthorization also includes a provision that requires a plan for government information to be made more readily available on search engines.

Defense

Senate panel OKs bill to expand telework eligibility

Bill would make all federal employees eligible to telework unless they fall under certain categories that would prohibit it.

Oversight

Panel backs bill to boost contract opportunities for veterans

Measure would place veterans who are small business owners at the top of the priority list for receiving federal contracts.

Defense

Homeland Security chief touts faster cargo scanning

Recently signed law requires DHS to ensure, within five years, that all U.S.-bound ship cargo is scanned at foreign ports.

Oversight

Panel OKs emergency funds for recovery from bridge collapse

Bill authorizes $250 million in relief funds for the state of Minnesota to use in the repairs of the Interstate-35W bridge.

Defense

Panel backs annual reports on disabled veteran employment complaints

Bill would require the secretary of Labor to share data with the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, and the attorney general.

Management

Panel backs measure to curb contract bundling

Bill also would increase goal for federal contract dollars going to small firms, from 23 percent to 30 percent.

Defense

Senate panel moves bill creating reconstruction reserve corps

Corps would be made up of 250 active-duty personnel and 2,000 standby personnel, with most employees coming from the State Department and USAID.

Defense

Homeland Security officials defend 2008 budget plans

All but $6 million of a $106 million increase for new division would go toward program to track visitors.

Defense

Lawmaker proposes air passenger bill of rights

It has yet to be determined if there is a role for Congress in ensuring passengers' rights, or if the FAA should take the lead.