Government affairs

Service standards resolution introduced in House

Reps. David McKinley (R-WV) and Paul Tonko (R-NY) have introduced H.Res. 54, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that USPS should take all appropriate measures to restore 2012 service standards. Click here to read more.

House and Senate reintroduce Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act; bill advances in House

Both the House and Senate have reintroduced the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act, which would provide first-year federal workers with service-related disabilities sick leave to use for medical visits. Click here to read more.

Paid parental leave bill introduced in House

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), has introduced the Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act (H. R. 532). The legislation would give both male and female federal workers six weeks of paid leave after the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. Click here to read more.

House OGR committee/subcommittee updates

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held its first organization meeting to iron out committee business and determine order and operations for the committee during the 114th Congress. Click here to read more.

Boozeman named Senate FSGG chairman

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) has announced that Sen. John Boozeman (R-AR) will take over the helm of the Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG). Click here to read more.

Coming up

Now that the House and Senate have closed the door on their month-long consideration of the Keystone XL pipeline, the measure will now go to President Obama’s desk—where he has vowed to veto the legislation. Congress will now turn its attention to Fiscal Year 2015 funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is only funded through the end of February. And look out for President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2016 budget request on Monday—will Groundhog Day bring more of the same?