Postal Service still losing money, but no movement on legislation
The Postal Service is expected to announce more financial losses on Friday, but postal legislation remains stalled.
Federal Diary
Report casts doubt on TSA’s behavior-detection efforts
A new report says there’s no proof that the program is efficiently spotting potential airline terrorists.
Myriad problems with the process of security clearances
GAO says the government’s security control process has quality-control problems.
Personnel chief optimistic despite challenges ahead
The new OPM director must deal with low employee morale and many other issues.
Netanyahu’s JV graphics department
The Israeli prime minister tweets a goofy, poorly designed graphic -- but at least it’s better than that cartoon bomb.
Does the Senate need a new caucus?
Perhaps senators who were appointed to fill a resigned or dead incumbent’s seat could have their own special caucus to give guidance to their colleagues.
Obama transparency order gets lost in the fog
The State Department wrestles with the media over releasing names of its “Special Government Employees,” such as Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills
The High Court
Sometimes, you don’t want to make it to the Supreme Court
COLUMN | Those who have won in lower courts count it as a win when the justices decline to hear their cases.
At Supreme Court, tradition trumps technology
A panel last week looked at how the justices’ stubbornness goes beyond barring cameras in the courtroom.
Supreme Court continues to scrutinize affirmative action
Case asks justices whether Michigan’s ban on preferences can violate guarantee of equal protection.
Fine Print
Fine Print: Joint Chiefs say reducing personnel costs is key
Overhead for the services is crushing their budgets, military leaders say.
Fine Print: Smarter ways to trim the defense budget
Old habits die hard, but lawmakers, military leaders must break them when it comes to defense spending.
Fine Print: In survey, lessons for the NSA
A poll finds that “Americans will give their government more leeway” if they think anti-terror tools actually work.
Latest Federal News
Clarence Thomas: The Supreme Court’s most happy fella
In front of an adoring crowd of 1,300 conservatives, the 65-year-old Thomas was full of “love.”
USPS lost $5 billion despite revenue gain
Some say the agency would have earned a net profit if not for a requirement to pre-fund future retiree health benefits.
Netanyahu’s JV graphics department
The Israeli prime minister tweets a goofy, poorly designed graphic -- but at least it’s better than that cartoon bomb.
GOP plan would end defined-benefit pension for future feds
Republican lawmakers pitched the plan as a way to save money and achieve parity between public- and private-sector workers.
Does the Senate need a new caucus?
Perhaps senators who were appointed to fill a resigned or dead incumbent’s seat could have their own special caucus to give guidance to their colleagues.
How to use data analytics effectively in federal agencies
The return on big data investments sometimes disappoints. Here’s how to make sure it doesn’t.
Obama transparency order gets lost in the fog
The State Department wrestles with the media over releasing names of its “Special Government Employees,” such as Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills
In the Loop: Hay-Adams joins the D.C. scandal tour
It’s not the Mayflower, but the nearby competitor is catching up with talk of Secret Service naughtiness.
Report casts doubt on TSA’s behavior-detection efforts
A new report says there’s no proof that the program is efficiently spotting potential airline terrorists.
Obama picks nominees for some key posts
The president picks nominees for surgeon general, assistant attorney general for civil rights and undersecretary for science at the Department of Energy.
What Washington’s leaders have forgotten
An interview with Elaine Kamarck, of the Brookings Institution, on the big management fixes government needs right now.
Tina Turner’s citizenship move, Part 2
Tina Turner’s citizenship move will have tax implications, but a record number of U.S. citizens and green card holders are renouncing their citizenship.
Report casts doubt on TSA’s behavior detection efforts
A Government Accountability Office official told a House panel there is no solid evidence that the TSA techniques are effective.
Hay-Adams is no stranger to scandal
In addition to that incident involving a Secret Service agent, the hotel once was the scene of some Iran-Contra meetings.
A crocodile named Fidel
A German zoo is forced to rename a baby crocodile after complaints about its politically sensitive moniker. Lesson: don’t name a critter after a communist.
Federal employees view telework as bright spot in their jobs
Telework was one of just three categories that showed improvement in a broad survey of job satisfaction among federal employees.
Justices question union-organizing agreements
The Supreme Court seemed reluctant to disallow a type of agreement between employers and unions.
Fine Print: Joint Chiefs say reducing personnel costs is key
Overhead for the services is crushing their budgets, military leaders say.
Myriad problems with the process of security clearances
GAO says the government’s security control process has quality-control problems.
In the Loop: Understanding the politics of diplomacy
Career diplomats are looking at data on President Obama’s appointments, and they don’t like what they see.
Obama ‘fat cat’ ambassadors on the rise -- for now
Career diplomats worry that political appointees are gobbling up too many ambassadorial assignments.
Views often rosier from top in federal workforce
The outlook from the top was rosier across the board than those among lower-level workers in several categories of the Employee Viewpoint Survey.
Who’s smarter than Congress?
One senator calls Jeh Johnson, President Obama’s pick to head DHS, more intelligent than most members of Congress.
Hearings to examine clearances and overtime
The hearings appear to be a response to concerns about recent hot-button events including the Navy Yard shooting, NSA leaks and alleged overtime abuses.
In the Loop: Tina Turner ‘relinquishes’ U.S. citizenship
The soul star, long a Swiss resident, declares that she has “no plans to reside in the United States in the future.”
Justices consider drug dealer’s responsibility in overdose
Defendant was convicted despite expert testimony that couldn’t determine the primary cause of death.
Tina Turner formally ‘relinquishes’ U.S. citizenship
Tina Turner, already a Swiss citizen, popped into the American Embassy in Bern to “relinquish” her American citizenship, saying she didn’t intend to live in this country any more
VA dedicates $14 million more to fight homelessness
The VA on Tuesday announced it had approved nearly $14 million in grants as part of its continued efforts end veterans homelessness.
That’s Ambassador ‘Sweet Caroline’
Caroline Kennedy is sworn in to be the U.S. envoy to Japan in a private ceremony on Tuesday.
DHS still ranks among lowest for job satisfaction
Homeland Security ranked second-lowest among all executive-branch departments for job satisfaction.
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