Update: Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has lifted his objection to allowing a vote on Lisa Jackson’s nomination for Environmental Protection Agency Administrator by unanimous consent, Greg Keeley, Barrasso’s spokesman said. This means the vote could come as soon as this evening. Barrasso’s change of heart came after he spoke with Carol Browner, Obama’s energy and environment czar. The pair will meet next week to discuss Barrasso’s concerns about her new role and how it may affect the  independence of EPA.  Original Post: EPA Confirmation Delayed The Environmental Protection Agency may have to wait a while to see the changes Lisa Jackson, Obama’s…
Monthly Archives: January, 2009
General Services Administration officials have confirmed that acting Rocky Mountain Regional Administrator Paul Prouty, is now the new acting chief of the entire agency. Prouty, a Public Building Service career official, replaced Jim Williams in the role of acting GSA administrator on Jan. 20, according to GSA. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about the appointment. Williams has returned to his former job as commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service. He was nominated by former President Bush to run the agency last summer, but was never confirmed by the Senate. Williams had been running the agency on an acting basis ever since.
Lawmakers have reintroduced a bill that would provide four weeks of paid leave for federal employees who give birth to or adopt a child. Similar bills have failed in the past, however. And though Democrats have a stronger position in this Congress than they did last year, it still remains to be seen whether this bill will become law. What do you think? Has the lack of paid parental leave hurt you when your family grew? We’d like to hear from you. Send an e-mail to Stephen Losey at slosey@federaltimes.com.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was greeted like a rock star today when she made her first appearance at the department’s D.C. headquarters. Clinton arrived this morning to thunderous applause outside the C Street entrance and, once inside, waded through a camera-toting crowd numbering well into the hundreds, taking time to shake hands with employees eager to get their first look at the new boss.  The applause didn’t die down for more than three minutes, at which point the brief lull gave way to another round of hoots and hollars. “We love you Madam Secretary!” one female employee shouted. “Thank you,” a…
The biennial Government Accountability Office high-risk list was released today, and it’s good news for the Federal Aviation Administration — it’s been removed from the list, where it’s languished since 1995. Everybody else, not so much. The list is up to 30 agencies and programs, including three additions this year: the federal financial regulatory agencies (shouldn’t this have been on here a few years ago?), the Food and Drug Administration’s medical products oversight and the Environmental Protection Agency’s processes for assessing, cataloguing and controlling toxic chemicals. Take a look at the list here. Then come back and tell us what…
President Obama has just filled four assistant attorney general slots: David Kris is assistant AG for national security. Tony West is assistant AG for the Justice Department’s civil division. Lanny Breuer is assistant AG for Justice’s criminal division. Christine Varney is assistant AG for the antitrust division. Kris was associate deputy attorney general from 2000 to 2003, where he supervised the government’s use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. But Kris had serious reservations about the Bush administration’s legal justifications for warrantless wiretapping of U.S. citizens and residents, and went public with his concerns three years after leaving Justice.…
The Senate Finance Committee approved the nomination of Timothy Geithner to be Treasury secretary a few minutes ago by an 18-5 vote, according to our congressional reporter Rebecca Neal. The committee’s approval was expected despite concerns by many senators that Geithner failed to pay more than $30,000 in self-employment taxes earlier this decade when he worked at the International Monetary Fund. Geithner apologized for the error, repaid his owed amount, and said it was an unintentional mistake. Some senators including Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said it sends a bad signal to appoint a Treasury secretary — which oversees the IRS…
Today on FederalTimes.com and FedLine: The Government Accountability Office’s biennial High Risk List comes out at noon today and we’ll bring you the full accounting (pun intended) of programs on the list and those that might have finally made it off. More on the mark up of the House economic stimulus package by the appropriations committee and a round up of what other committees plan to add to the bill. And more on the Obama administrations executive orders. Check back with us throughout the day!
It took several hours but the House Appropriations Committee passed its economic stimulus package last night in a 35 to 22 vote. The vote means the bill will likely make it to the House floor by Jan. 28. Committee chairman Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wisc., has said he hopes the bill will pass the Senate before the Presidents’ Day break. Among the amendments added to the original bill: $150 million to purchase commodities for food banks. An extension of the authorization for the controversial E-Verify program for five years. A mandate that iron and steel used in construction projects funded by…
If you had a ticket for Tuesday’s inauguration and couldn’t get in, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies would like to apologize. The Washington Post reported today that nearly 4,000 ticketholders, most in the blue or purple sections, were shut out of the inauguration by police officers who said the sections were full, despite visitors lining up at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. At one point, the line for one of the gates stretched into the Interstate 395 tunnel underneath the Reflecting Pool. Ticketholders reported that officers weren’t receiving communications from others regarding the situation and crowds began to…