The FY2016 federal budget deficit will be only $16 billion lower than the administration estimated in February, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In its annual Mid-Session Review of the Budget, OMB now expects the FY2016 deficit to be $600 billion compared to $616 billion, the projection made when the FY2017 budget was [...]
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warned this week that unless policymakers make significant changes in government policies on taxes and spending (particularly for Social Security and Medicare), the federal budget deficit and debt would grow steadily over the next 30 years, with potentially significant negative effects on the federal budget and the U.S. economy. According [...]
The Department of Defense (DoD) is now set to begin accepting eligible civilian employees into the phased retirement program. Under the program, eligible federal employees approaching retirement are able continue working part time, while beginning retirement. Implementation of the Phased Retirement Program has taken longer than expected to implement in the federal government. The program [...]
The Department of Defense (DoD) is making sound progress toward meeting full audit accountability and DoD's leaders expect to meet the goal of full financial statement audit readiness by FY2018, according to DoD's Comptroller Mike McCord. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, McCord told the committee achieving auditability is a key element of Secretary [...]
Last week, the House passed the FY2017 Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations bill (H.R. 5293),278-149. Forty three Democrats joined 235 Republicans voting for passage. House Appropriations Committee chair Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) said the bill provides for the defense needs of the country by “funding those military needs that must be addressed now, planning and [...]
This week the Senate passed the FY2017 Defense Authorization bill by a large majority. The bill authorizes force levels, programs, and policies (including military pay raises) for Department of Defense (DoD) budgets and the programs and policies for the Department of Energy (DoE) nuclear weapons program. Appropriations bills provide actual funding. Senate Armed Services Committee [...]
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced new initiatives intended to improve the officer promotion system and enhance the civilian recruiting and retention program. Speaking to an all-hands meeting at the Pentagon, Carter cited the security challenges and the demographic, economic, and social changes facing the U.S. He said his job was “to make sure that [...]
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) approved FY2017 appropriations for the Coast Guard, which are included in the FY2017 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. The SAC approved the FY2017 Homeland Security Appropriations bill 30-0. The SAC approved $8.7 billion in discretionary appropriations (to be appropriated by Congress) for the Coast Guard, $129 million [...]
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) approved the FY2017 Department of Defense Appropriations bill by a vote of 30-0. SAC Chairman Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) said the bill “has broad bipartisan support” and “sustains a strong U.S. force structure, and it makes significant investments in readiness, shipbuilding programs, aircraft procurement, and missile defense.” The [...]
The Senate continues its aggressive effort to move FY2017 appropriations bills to completion. Last week the Senate passed the second and third appropriations bills for FY2017: Transportation/HUD bill and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs (MilCon/VA). The two bills were combined in a single bill and passed the Senate by a significant majority, 89-8. The Senate passed its [...]