Posts Tagged: Congress

Another Congressional Impasse

I was a federal employee during the government shutdowns of 1995–96 and 2013 which resulted from conflicts between a Democratic President and Republican-controlled Congress. It is 2015, and here we are again. A federal agency and its employees are being subjected to Congress’ inability to pass a funding bill. Last week, a House bill was re-filed to fund the DepartmentRead… Read more »

State of Immigration Reform in the States

In the past year, state policymakers and Congress introduced nearly one thousand bills dealing with immigration. These bills cover a range of issues, from suspending deportations of legalization-eligible youth to proposing STEM green card programs for the employment of highly-skilled foreign workers in the information technology industry. Caving to pressure from the Democratic party, PresidentRead… Read more »

A New Way To Run For Office – The Open Sourced Way

The definition of, of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. So that begs the question is there a better way to create a political platform? David Cole is a 28 year old software developer who spent 2 years working at the White House as a Deputy DirectorRead… Read more »

No Love for Gov on Presidents’ Day

As our nation observes Presidents’ Day there’s not much good news regarding how citizens view government at the national level – from Congress, to the White House, to federal agencies. This is a sobering and troubling reality, especially for feds. Presidents’ Day is supposed to be “a time of patriotic celebration and remembrance,” according toRead… Read more »

New Campaign Seeks to Improve Public Perception of Feds

It’s no secret the federal workforce has been treated like a punching bag for too long. Public animosity towards government is one factor contributing to low morale among feds. Poor morale may lead to decreased productivity and increased indifference to mission-related work. Other detrimental repercussions associated with low morale include employee disengagement and absenteeism. NowRead… Read more »

The Senate Has Raised The Debt Limit. Now What?

Congress has avoided going over yet another fiscal cliff, with the House passing a “clean” debt limit bill yesterday, and Senate passage happened today. This marks the fourth major piece of bipartisan legislation passed since last October’s 16-day government shutdown that includes the two-year Ryan-Murray budget agreement, the FY14 omnibus appropriations bill, and the extensionRead… Read more »

Congress and the Federal Worker

Federal employees have many concerns on their plate in terms of Congress and the federal budget, including: What will happen with federal pay in 2015 following the 1% increases in 2014? Will Congress pass a debt limit increase? How will the president’s State of the Union promise to use more Executive Orders play out? KenRead… Read more »