President Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget would expand the size of the federal workforce to more than 2.1 million workers, well beyond the government’s size when Bill Clinton declared in 1996 that “the era of big government is over.” Most of the hires would come at the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. TheRead… Read more »
Federal offices in the Washington area are operating under an unscheduled leave policy on Wednesday as a snowstorm dumped anywhere between 2 and 8 inches across the region overnight. The policy means federal workers in the D.C. area who cannot report for work can request unscheduled time off for the entire workday. Workers must notifyRead… Read more »
Happy Tuesday! Lawmakers on Tuesday will hold the first hearing on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy since July 2008, when Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen are expected to announce the creation of a group to assess how to carry out a full repeal of the decades-old policy that requiresRead… Read more »
Happy Friday! Or maybe not, if you work for NASA or dream of going to the moon. President Obama’s budget set for release on Monday effectively proposes the end of the agency’s planned Constellation Program to send Americans back to the moon by 2020. Or, in the words of the the Orlando Sentinel, “There willRead… Read more »
President Obama reiterated his support for legislation moving through the House and Senate that extends full domestic benefits to the unmarried partners of gay and lesbian federal employees. A University of Tampa student asked Obama about his position on equal rights for same sex couples, noting that he had expressed support for a repeal ofRead… Read more »
Happy Thursday! Gay rights groups on Wednesday plan to launch a nationwide campaign to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy following President Obama’s call for a repeal during Wednesday’s State of the Union address. “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay AmericansRead… Read more »
Transparency advocates and good government groups rendered a mixed verdict this week on the Obama administration’s recent release of hundreds of sets of government data, arguing that many federal agencies chose to release obscure or outdated facts and figures at the expense of long-standing requests for more relevant, sensitive information. As part of the administration’sRead… Read more »
Happy Tuesday! An estimated 66,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual people are serving in the U.S. military, roughly 2 percent of all military personnel, according to a report released Tuesday by a gay rights policy center. The figures suggest a slight increase in the number of gays, lesbians and bisexuals in the military, and they provideRead… Read more »
President Obama will freeze the salaries of senior White House officials and other top political appointees and eliminate bonuses for all political appointees, the White House said Tuesday. The payroll decision will likely get a mention in Wednesday’s State of the Union address, officials said. Obama last year froze the salaries of top White HouseRead… Read more »
Do you ever find yourself yelling at the television during a State of the Union address? Now there’s a slight chance you can vent your frustrations directly to President Obama and get a response. White House New Media Director Macon Phillips invited Americans via the White House blog to submit follow up questions about theRead… Read more »