Revise & Extend
What the Fiscal Cliff Agreement Means for FY2012 Spending
Under the fiscal cliff agreement, the sequester has been postponed for two months, to March 2. The agreement also reduces the size of the sequester, from $109 billion to $85 billion, which will be squeezed into seven months, rather than nine. Provided there are no changes prior to March 2, discretionary spending will still need
No Federal Pay Freeze in Fiscal Cliff Agreement, However…
Legislation passed by the House and Senate yesterday to avoid the fiscal cliff, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, postpones the sequester for two months, but does not contain a provision to extend the pay freeze on federal personnel. The only provision regarding federal pay prevents a cost of living adjustment to Members of
On Warren Rudman
You may have noticed the death of former Senator Warren Rudman, Republican of New Hampshire. Some obituaries refer to Rudman as one of the quintessential moderate Republicans of an earlier era, a “breed” that barely exists anymore. This take on Rudman’s career is not really accurate–the truth about where he stood on the ideological
The 2012 Election Results: Implications for Federal Personnel
President Obama’s reelection means that a major assault on federal pay and benefits, which many feared would be a part of a Romney-Ryan administration, will not occur. Nevertheless, there will continue to be long-term pressures to reduce federal spending, and agency budgets and federal personnel will undoubtedly be a part of that for some time
Moving Right Along: The Fiscal Cliff
Barely taking a breath after an election that kept Republicans in control of the House and Democrats in charge of the Senate and the White House, our political leaders immediately turned to the work at hand. Of course we’re talking about a constellation of pressing budget issues, aka, the “fiscal cliff”. Within two months we
Five Things You Didn’t Know about the 2012 Elections
With dozens of cable, radio, web-based, and print outlets covering the campaign, obviously there’s a ton of punditry out there. Much of it, we’ve noticed, is repetitive, one-sided, or simply misinformed. GAI is hoping to add something useful to the discussion that you may not have heard or read yet. Let us know what you
Reprogramming Funds: Understanding the Appropriators’ Perspective
By Michelle Mrdeza, Adjunct GAI Faculty and Guest Contributor, and Kenneth Gold, GAI Director Reprogramming funds within accounts is often essential for agencies as they cope with changing circumstances affecting their programs. But getting permission is anything but a “given”. As a result, it is crucial for agency officials to understand both their agency guidance
Parsing the Supreme Court’s Decision
In terms of public policy, the Supreme Court’s 5:4 decision to uphold the bulk of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is an enormous victory for President Obama and the 111th Congress that enacted it. Politically, it may be a wash—for Obama and Democrats, it’s a relief to have the High Court’s seal
All Eyes On The Supreme Court
Capitol Hill’s collective gaze is fixed upon the Supreme Court, which is poised to announce decisions on several cases by the end of its term in late June. The marquee event, of course, is the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Will the Court invalidate the signature accomplishment of the Democratic
Changes to Both Hatch Act and Anti-Lobbying Act You Should Be Aware Of
Both the Hatch Act, initially signed into law in 1939, and the Anti-Lobbying Act, initially signed into law in 1919, seek to place limits on federal government personnel regarding partisan political activities and lobbying Congress. Recent changes in both laws make it more likely that federal personnel may be found in violation of the statutes,