In Depth Newscast – May 26

• The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act has passed the House. The bill passed by a vote of 322-96. But it included several of the provisions President Obama said this week would cause him to veto the bill. One provision of the bill will end pay raises for federal employees that get the lowest rating on their annual performance reviews. In most agencies, that’s the “unacceptable” rating.
• President Obama is expected to nominate Army General Martin Dempsey to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. If approved, Dempsey will succeed Admiral Mike Mullen. Dempsey served as the acting commander of U.S. Central Command which has responsibility for U.S. military affairs in the Middle East.
• President Obamas’ memo to make contractor contributions known is meeting some heat. Legislation fighting the memo is in the House and Senate. The legislation prohibits federal agencies from collecting or using information relating to campaign contributions and other political donations by potential contractors.
• The Senate has rejected the 2012 budget plan passed by the House. The House bill would have made major changes to Medicare. The federal government would have subsidized recipients’ choice of private health insurance.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.