Oversight

Panel votes to limit Justice-White House communications

Legislation would only allow certain officials to discuss ongoing investigations, in an attempt to shield the Justice Department’s independence.

Defense

Federal disaster management plan running into criticism

Homeland Security officials defend the document, saying they will address specific concerns after a 30-day review and comment period.

News

Bill to improve processing of FOIA requests advancing

Measure would tighten deadlines for agencies to respond to requests and create an agency with an ombudsman role.

News

House subcommittee cracks down on Iraq war profiteering

Bill approved by voice vote would establish criminal penalties for overcharging taxpayers on war or reconstruction contracts.

News

Panel to seek contempt charges against Bolten, Miers

White House, lawmakers disagree on whether a president can extend executive privilege to bar production of documents and testimony.

Oversight

Subcommittee backs bill to make agencies more user friendly

Legislation would require each agency to appoint a customer relations representative and to measure satisfaction levels.

Tech

Data breach bill sets notification requirements

Measure asks agencies or businesses to tell consumers if their information is believed to have been accessed improperly.

Tech

USDA officials apologize for exposing Social Security numbers

Department started to purge numbers from databases after VA data breach last year, but tens of thousands slipped through the cracks.

Defense

Measure to fight war profiteering moves to full Senate

Bill would impose prison sentences and fines on those found to have knowingly defrauded or overcharged the government.

News

Officials cite progress on bureaucratic problems at Walter Reed

Defense official says new procedures are under way to streamline the cumbersome, several-layered system for evaluating a soldier's disability upon separation.

Management

Senate panel backs stiff penalties for war profiteering

Measure would allow prison sentences of up to 20 years and fines of $1 million or twice the gross profits from the scheme.

Defense

Panel votes to require agencies to report data mining activities

Measure gives heads of agencies engaged in or developing a data mining program 180 days to submit a detailed report.

Defense

Inspectors general probe fraud, profiteering in Iraq

Office of the special IG for Iraq reconstruction has 79 ongoing investigations and has referred 28 cases to the Justice Department for prosecution.

Management

Senate judiciary panel revises rule for U.S. attorneys

Plan restricts the authority of the U.S. attorney general from filling prosecutor vacancies for an unlimited time without Senate confirmation.

Management

Senate subpanel advances $51.2 billion Commerce-Justice bill

Measure would restore $900 million of $1.2 billion in proposed cutbacks to Justice Department programs.

Defense

Coast Guard authorization bill sails through House panel

Bill would allow service to be on a path to modernization in 15, rather than 25, years.

Management

Senate subcommittee approves Interior-EPA spending bill

The $26.1 billion approved for fiscal 2007 exceeds President Bush’s request and the amount allotted by the House last month.

Tech

House panel OKs office to compensate vets for ID theft

Office would process claims of veterans who might have their identities stolen as a result of data breach last month.

Defense

Fate of threat advisory system remains unclear

Bill that would require security alerts to be targeted to specific regions or economic interests has not made much headway.

Defense

Panel approves major immigration reform bill

If approved by the full Senate, measure must be resolved with a House-passed bill that is devoted mainly to beefed-up border security.