Multibillion-dollar DOT program for disadvantaged businesses helps few grow
There's too much focus on certifying disadvantaged businesses for a Transportation Department program designed to support them, and not enough on whether they actually receive any contracts, the DOT office of inspector general says. In Maryland, about 4,800 businesses are certified for the program, but only 560 have received work through it.
FAA not providing enough cost benefit information on NextGen, GAO says
The Federal Aviation Administration has made minimal progress in developing metrics to measure progress in implementing the NextGen air traffic control modernization effort, which airlines need in order to develop cost-benefit analyses before investing in NextGen-enabling avionics, according to an April 8 Government Accountability Office report (.pdf).
Despite leniency program, offshore account holders still circumventing IRS, GAO report says
Some taxpayers with offshore accounts undisclosed in previous years are quietly filing amended returns in an effort to avoid paying greater penalties, doing so likely at a rate greater than the Internal Revenue Service acknowledges, the Government Accountability Office says.
EPA chemical reviews 'prioritized,' will still take a decade
At its current pace, the Environmental Protection Agency will take more than a decade to judge whether 83 chemicals prioritized for review are toxic to humans, the Government Accountability Office says. The EPA hasn't proposed a new ban or limitation under the Toxic Substances Control Act since 1991.
Spotlight: Feds who agree to do work outside government must comply with STOCK Act
HUD office closures to affect 10% of workforce
The restructuring, announced April 24, is set to begin this fall. Every employee affected by the changes can continue to work for HUD, but they may have to move to a different city or take a new position, the department said.
Call times down for taxpayers needing assistance, GAO report says
In 2013, taxpayers waited less time for IRS assistance by phone than in 2012, despite a high volume of people filing later in the tax season, says a April 15 Government Accountability Office report (.pdf).
Agencies mislabeling federal properties in poor condition, GAO report says
Federal agencies mislabeled the condition of federally owned properties that were in poor condition and reported that unused buildings were being used, says a Government Accountability Office report (.pdf). Several buildings that received high scores for condition were in fact in poor condition, with problems including, asbestos, mold, radioactivity and flooding.
Native American vets lack adequate health care services
Native American veterans lack adequate health care services, despite a memo of understanding between the the Veterans Affairs Department and Indian Health Services, says an April 26 Government Accountability Office report (.pdf).
Congress passes law to roll back air traffic controller furloughs
Both chambers passed bills nearly simultaneously, with the Senate unanimously approving its measure, S. 853, the night of April 25 and the House voting 361-41 the early afternoon of April 26 for an exactly-worded bill (H.R. 1765).
Spotlight: Burwell confirmed as OMB director
The Senate voted April 24 to confirm Sylvia Mathews Burwell as the new director of the Office of Management and Budget.
DoD improperly awarded performance based contract payments, IG report says
The Defense Department didn't properly award performance based payments to contractors between 2009 and 2011 because DoD didn't properly negotiate and verify the contractors' need for contract financing or level of investment before authorizing the payments, an April 8 DoD Office of Inspector General report (.pdf) says.
Improper payment rate for earned income tax credit too high, says TIGTA
A 21 to 25 percent improper payment rate at the Internal Revenue Service's earned income tax credit program puts the agency out of compliance with the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, which requires agencies report improper payment rates of less than 10 percent.
SBA budget request cuts money for small sized business training, but adds new programs
SBA requested less money to train small sized small businesses, but created programs to help medium sized small businesses grow their workforce, SBA Administrator Karen Mills said in a fiscal 2014 House Small Business Committee budget hearing of the Small Business Administration.
HHS ponders HIPAA change for gun purchase background checks
The FBI would be able to find out if a person was involuntarily committed to a mental health institution for purposes of running a gun purchase background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System if a rule being considered by the Health and Human Services Department is instituted.
Passenger safety not at risk, but flight delays were inevitable, FAA administrator says
The Federal Aviation Administration could not avoid sequestration-induced furloughs and the resulting flight delays from having fewer air traffic controllers, but passenger safety is not at risk, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said during a House Appropriations subcommittee on transportation hearing April 24.
Spotlight: House Oversight seeks to scrutinize federal pay scale
Cuts to employee health benefits and discretionary spending needed to reduce deficit, Simpson Bowles report says
Federal employee benefits, including health benefits and pensions, should be cut along with discretionary spending to help reduce the federal deficit, an April 19 report (.pdf) by former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.) and Erskine Bowles says. The changes to employee pensions, cost of living adjustments and the federal health benefits program as well as proposed tax changes would save $2.5 trillion over the next ten years, the report says.
All taxpayers would see at least a slight tax increase under Obama's revenue proposals
The average millionaire's federal taxes would increase $82,604 in calendar year 2015 under President Obama's proposed fiscal 2014 budget, according to the Tax Policy Center.
Senate bill calls for governmentwide customer service standards and OMB oversight
A bill introduced simultaneously in the House and Senate on April 22, would make the Office of Management and Budget set governmentwide customer service standards to improve response times for citizen requests and government services.
