Modernization

Why do federal employee background checks take so long? Panel points to delayed IT system

The Defense Department agency responsible for vetting workers at most federal agencies originally planned to have a new background check system fully functional in 2019.

Policy

Feds are still slated for a 2% average pay raise in 2025 per House appropriations bill

The House Appropriations Committee advanced legislation Thursday that failed to override President Biden’s 2025 pay plan.

People

Senators’ latest telework legislation could imperil remote work

A new bill from Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., would cap all telework at 40% of an employee’s work hours, potentially endangering the federal government’s nascent remote work program.

Emerging Tech

New bill would greatly expand Defense Department quantum efforts

Proposed legislation would establish a quantum advisor and a new center of excellence.

Policy

Congress reaches fiscal 2024 funding deal, new stopgaps in hopes of averting shutdown

Lawmakers must act in a hastened and united fashion to pass the new CR before funding expires this week.

Updated Policy

Congress averts shutdown, punts funding debate into March

Both the Senate and House approved a six-week stopgap on Thursday, just one day before a shutdown deadline.

Policy

Senate starts process to pass more stopgap funding measures to avoid a government shutdown

Facing a potential shutdown at the end of the week, Congress aims to push the deadlines into early March.

Updated Policy

Congress pivots to full-year funding bills after bipartisan agreement on spending levels

Deal would avoid major cuts but appropriators have just 10 days to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Cybersecurity

The 2024 defense policy bill has a lot of cyber

Other provisions touch on diplomacy and nuclear command and control, among other things.

Defense

Tuberville says he'll drop hold on most military promotions

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

Policy

Congress averts shutdown after Senate approves stopgap funding bill

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

Emerging Tech

31 communities tapped as innovation hub finalists

The Biden administration expects the innovation hubs to spur scientific and technological innovation in communities across the country, including small and rural areas and those with historically underserved populations.

Policy

The shutdown threat would be off the table, under newly proposed legislation

A bill from Virginia Democrats would automatically trigger a continuing resolution when there is a lapse in appropriations and restrict the Senate’s ability to consider non-spending legislation until funding is figured out.

Policy

GAO: USDA violated the Anti-Deficiency Act while planning its relocation of science agencies

House Democrats renewed calls to institute tighter regulation of agency relocations in light of the watchdog agency's findings.

Policy

The Senate is on a bipartisan glidepath toward avoiding a shutdown, Schumer says

The way forward is still complicated by the House, which is pushing partisan spending bills along party lines.

People

Sen. Kaine revives effort to ban Schedule F through the defense policy bill

This marks the second straight year that the Virginia Democrat has sought to attach a measure requiring congressional approval for new federal job classifications to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Cybersecurity

Energy Department officials eye 2027 date to stand-up cyber intelligence center

Officials from the department's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response told House members Tuesday that work within the threat-sharing pilot program has already shown progress and could use more resources from Congress.

Modernization

Four federal departments have not fully implemented cloud security practices, GAO says

The departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, Labor and Treasury have made varying amounts of progress in applying crucial cloud security practices, but remain far from fully executing them, the watchdog found.

Digital Government

Federal CIO says IDEA Act guidance coming this summer

Clare Martorana discussed the challenge of building out specific steps to get government agency websites to adopt common standards.