Federal Eye: January 11, 2009 - January 17, 2009
Cabinet Nominees Discuss the Rank and File
While Senate confirmation hearings have focused mostly on major policy issues of concern, The Eye – with the assistance of washingtonpost.com's Sarah Lovenheim and intern Ethan Klapper – also reviewed the hearing transcripts for comments about the federal workforce....
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 16, 2009; 4:00 PM ET |
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Confirmation Hearings, Congress, Workplace Issues
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Another Last-Minute Bush Appointment
President Bush will not reemerge in public until Tuesday morning, but he has made yet another last-minute appointment. Edwin Smiley Kneedler, a deputy solicitor general, will serve as the acting solicitor general until Barack Obama's pick for the job is...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 16, 2009; 12:30 PM ET |
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Administration, Revolving Door
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Tips on Presidential Appointments
As observers and presidential transition veterans can attest, Inauguration Day marks an important and highly visible transfer of power, but does not signal the end of a transition. Some of the most important aspects of the transfer of power happen...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 16, 2009; 11:05 AM ET |
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Administration, FY-Eye
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Eye Opener: Jan. 16, 2009
Happy Friday! Inauguration Weekend begins -- and many Federal workers in the Washington region have the next few days off. Enjoy the break and stay warm! (The Federal Diarist Joe Davidson tackles the complex pay and work details of...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 16, 2009; 8:00 AM ET |
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Eye Opener
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Federal Eye Twitter Update...
The Eye has crossed the century mark with Twitter followers and still hopes to have 200 by Inauguration morning. (He'll be "live tweeting" from the National Mall all day!) Sign up to follow The Eye and he promises to follow...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 15, 2009; 1:49 PM ET |
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Towns Promises Strong Oversight
Some may wonder how aggressive the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and its Democratic majority will be in its oversight of agencies and departments run by a Democratic administration, but the panel's new chairman, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) has...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 15, 2009; 12:15 PM ET |
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Congress, Oversight
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Eye Opener: Jan. 15, 2009
Happy Thursday! The Eye now has more than 100 Twitter "followers" and hopes to have more than 200 before next Tuesday, when he will "live tweet" from the National Mall during the Inaugural ceremony. If you follow his Twitter...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 15, 2009; 7:47 AM ET |
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Suggested Questions for Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano should sail through her confirmation hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, but the General Accountability Office suggests her tenure at the Department of Homeland Security will be anything but easy. Homeland Security Secretary-designate Arizona...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 15, 2009; 6:16 AM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Suggested Questions for Eric Holder
Attorney General-designate Eric Holder starts two days of Senate confirmation hearings today. The former judge, U.S. attorney and assistant attorney general has faced increasing criticism from Senate Republicans in recent weeks, with concern about his work during the Clinton administration...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 15, 2009; 6:10 AM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Orszag Promises More Oversight and Transparency
Peter R. Orszag before his confirmation hearing today with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. (Photo by AP/Susan Walsh) How many cabinet nominees have you seen sip Diet Coke during their confirmation hearing? Peter R. Orszag, the...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 6:19 PM ET |
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Administration, Confirmation Hearings, Congress, Oversight
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LaHood's Successor on Earmark News: So What?
Former Illinois Republican congressman and Transportation Secretary-designate Ray LaHood sponsored $60 million in earmarks last year, steering at least $9 million in federal money to campaign donors, according to a report in today's Post. Rep. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., following the...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 2:20 PM ET |
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Congress
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The Federal Eye Twitter Update...
The Eye has added a little more than a dozen Twitter "followers" since last evening... keep 'em coming and help meet the goal of at least 200 followers by Inauguration morning. (The Eye will be on the National Mall all...
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Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 12:54 PM ET |
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Will Bamboo Shortage Impact Berry's OPM Job?
The National Zoo is in urgent need of bamboo, reports The Post's Michael Ruane and "zoo officials said they may not have enough to last the winter." What do hungry pandas have to do with personnel management? Ask zoo director...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 12:33 PM ET |
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Agencies and Departments
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'Homeland Security USA' Episode #2
Since posting last week's assessment of the pilot episode of "Homeland Security USA," The Eye heard from some Homeland Security officials urging him to watch the second episode, because the show would get better. (The Eye vows to watch each...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 12:00 PM ET |
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Agencies and Departments
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House Bill Sets Minimum Oversight Guidelines
UPDATE 6:07 p.m. ET: Despite the concerns of some Republican lawmakers and good government groups, the House unanimously approved the bill this afternoon 423-0. The House is expected to consider a bill today that would require each House committee hold...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 9:40 AM ET |
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Congress, Oversight
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Suggested Questions for Eric Shinseki
Retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, faces the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee today as Obama cabinet nominees continue to visit Capitol Hill this week for confirmation hearings. The Eye continues to post...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 7:05 AM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Suggested Questions for Peter Orszag
Barack Obama's nominee to head up the Office of Management and Budget, sounded an ominous warning yesterday during the first part of his two days of Senate confirmation hearings. Peter Orszag told the Senate Budget Committee that the nation likely...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 14, 2009; 7:00 AM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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The Federal Eye On Twitter...
Next Tuesday The Eye will shift his focus to The Post's unprecedented coverage of the inauguration of Barack Obama and will help provide updates throughout the day from the National Mall. He'll primarily use his Twitter feed to provide live...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 8:29 PM ET |
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Likely OPM Director Earns Rave Reviews
National Zoo director John Berry, who is expected to be named the next director of the Office of Personnel Management (Photo by Post) John Berry, the current director of the National Zoo, has accepted an offer to serve as...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 4:39 PM ET |
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Administration, Revolving Door, Workplace Issues
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Suggested Questions for Lisa P. Jackson
Lisa P. Jackson, likely the next administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency faces several challenges, according to a Government Accountability Office assessment that provides similar analysis of 27 other government agencies and departments. Among other things, Jackson must consider...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 1:26 PM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Suggested Questions for Shaun Donovan
The GAO suggests the next secretary of Housing and Urban Development faces three main challenges: • Modernizing the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) • Reforming Rental Housing Assistance Programs • Strengthening Accountability in Disaster Assistance Among the questions GAO suggests...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 12:55 PM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Bush's Physician Gets Last-Minute Appointment
Brig. Gen. and Dr. Richard J. Tubb serves as President Bush's physician. He's one of the newest appointees to the U.S. Air Force Academy's Board of Visitors. With one week to go before he leaves office, President Bush has...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 10:27 AM ET |
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Administration, Revolving Door
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Eye Opener: Jan. 13, 2009
Happy Tuesday! One year ago today, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" to defend her presidential campaign. Today Clinton, along with Dr. Steven Chu, Arne Duncan, Lisa Jackson and Peter R. Orszag all face...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 8:00 AM ET |
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Eye Opener
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Suggested Questions for Arne Duncan
Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan hopes to serve as the nation's next education secretary, but first he has to win the approval of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. He's never been a teacher or principal, but has...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 6:55 AM ET |
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Agencies and Departments, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Suggested Questions for Hillary Clinton
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today for what's expected to be an easy confirmation hearing. While Clinton is likely to face questions about the Mideast conflict, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 6:50 AM ET |
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Administration, Confirmation Hearings, Congress
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Suggested Questions for Steven Chu
President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for energy secretary, Dr. Steven Chu appears before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today for his confirmation hearing. The next energy secretary faces several challenges, including determining how to fill the nation's strategic petroleum...
By
Ed O'Keefe
| January 13, 2009; 6:45 AM ET |
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