Defense

Report: Defense Department cannot fully account for $7.8B spent in Iraq

Inspector general concludes funds were spent without appropriate documentation; office reconciling Iraqi payments has been moved from Kuwait to Rome, N.Y.

Defense

FAA urged to open domestic skies to unmanned aerial vehicles

A new report from the Government Accountability Office urges Congress to create an office inside FAA to coordinate federal UAV planning.

Oversight

Contractors, insurance firms gouging taxpayers, panel says

House committee chairman plans to introduce legislation that would change the Defense Department's practice of allowing contractors to negotiate their own deals on workers compensation insurance.

Defense

Ex-State officials allege corruption cover up

Critics have suggested the agency has not pushed anticorruption efforts to avoid hurting relations with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

Oversight

House Oversight Committee clears measure to sell excess federal properties

Bill would increase incentives for the federal government to unload an estimated $18 billion worth of unneeded property.

Oversight

FBI seizes Doan, Rice case files in raid of OSC chief's office

Raid is latest step in long investigation of Special Counsel Scott Bloch, who heads the independent office that enforces workplace laws at federal agencies.

Oversight

FBI search, leaked documents lead to renewed calls for ousting of Scott Bloch

Investigation into the head of the Office of Special Counsel appears to be focused on potential obstruction of justice charges against him and the possibility he lied to Congress last year.

Defense

Authorization bill attracts contracting reform amendments

The annual Pentagon policy bill may offer the best chance for several contracting-related measures to become law.

Pay & Benefits

Subpanel votes to hike maximum dependent age for federal health benefits

Measure raises the maximum age of dependents eligible for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan from 22 to 25.

Oversight

GSA's Doan done in by battling White House

Fired administrator recently rejected suggested political appointees to fill senior-level vacancies at the agency.

Oversight

House Oversight Committee approves SES diversity bill

Watered-down bill requires creation of a Senior Executive Resource Office within the Office of Personnel Management to oversee the process of selecting executives.

Oversight

House measure gives GAO powers, awards back wages

Bill also includes adjustments inserted by lawmakers unhappy with recent changes to the agency’s pay system.

Oversight

White House forces resignation of embattled GSA chief

Lurita Doan was summoned to the White House for a late afternoon meeting Tuesday, and resigned that evening.

Oversight

Officials question cost, scope of e-mail storage measure

Measure takes aim at the Bush White House's inability to locate hundreds of days' worth of e-mail messages.

Defense

Waxman probes contractors' use of off-shore subsidiaries

House chairman seeks estimates of tax savings the subsidiaries have generated and data on gross profits, owners, employees and benefits.

Oversight

OMB indicates some ozone documents may be privileged

House chairman issues subpoena; dispute could lead to a legal showdown if the sides cannot reach an accommodation.

Oversight

Dems seek to require electronic storage of agency e-mail

Bill directs National Archives to issue regulations on compliance to agencies within 18 months.

Oversight

Nine of 16 agencies cut backlogs of FOIA requests

GAO study says inconsistent data makes progress hard to track.

News

Committee passes advisory panel accountability bill

Measure requires appointment of committee members without consideration of political affiliation.

Oversight

OMB to agencies: Don't bother submitting 2010 budget requests

Bush administration will leave the task of preparing a full fiscal 2010 budget to the next president's team.