Uncertainty is the only constant in the Pentagon’s budget outlook
“It’s going to be kind of a disaster,” one military official said about the lack of a full budget, which means more limits on how the Pentagon spends.
Budget
DOD civilian employees given $1 spending limit for travel cards
The Pentagon is freezing travel and government credit cards for civilian employees to comply with DOGE's cost-savings initiatives.
Stopgap budget bill includes extra funds for military, VA programs
The six-month budget bill must be approved by lawmakers before Friday night to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Congress readies troop pay protections as federal shutdown looms again
If lawmakers do not pass a new budget bill by March 14, funding for most federal programs and serives will run out.
More than 300k VA health jobs exempted from White House hiring freeze
About two-thirds of Veterans Affairs jobs will be excluded from a White House order blocking new hiring.
Looming government shutdown could hurt military families, veterans
Plans to avert a partial government shutdown starting this weekend appeared scuttled after President-elect Donald Trump opposed the bipartisan deal.
As Congress returns to DC, so does the threat of a federal shutdown
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Sept. 9, 2024.
Key senators agree on spending levels for FY25
House Republicans are pursuing a more austere course, allowing for a 1% increase for defense, but significant cuts for nondefense.
Opinion
Should the Pentagon have used Commerce Department funds for semiconductors?
The U.S. Defense Department has successfully, albeit surreptitiously, swiped $3.5 billion from the Commerce Department’s CHIPS Act funding.
Next-gen homeland defense interceptor plans are risky, watchdog says
In a report, the Government Accountability Office said there are technical, schedule and cost risks associated with the MDA's next-gen interceptor.
Opinion
Election compounds federal agency uncertainty ahead of new fiscal year
With uncertainties around funding, federal agencies must know how to make strategic IT investments.
House defense bill takes aim at telework for DoD employees, contractors
Republicans especially have taken issue with lingering telework that spiked in use during the pandemic, though it has been a tool in government for decades
Nurses rally in DC, call for immediate hiring of VA medical staff
After record hiring in 2023, official say the VHA's workforce is at its highest point in history.
Biden threatens VA budget veto over abortion, gender-affirming care
The White House is opposed to a Republican-backed VA budget plan that is expected to be advanced this week.
Republicans back abortion ban in $360B VA budget draft for next year
VA would see a 10% boost in funding under a plan advanced by Republican appropriators on Tuesday, but Democrats oppose other parts of the bill.
High court sides with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on funding
The case is among several challenges to federal regulatory agencies on the docket this term for a court that has been open to limits on their operations,
Watchdog blasts VA for errors leading to $11M in improper bonuses
A watchdog report criticized VA leaders for mistakes in handling $11 million in bonuses for senior department leaders.