News Articles

The Hill | Jan 9, 2017

Oversight chairman: I won’t be ‘cheerleader’ for Trump

House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) insisted Monday he won’t be a “cheerleader” for Donald Trump but argued that the incoming president will be exempt from most federal conflict of interest laws.

Roll Call | Jan 4, 2017

House Moves to Disclose Presidential Library Funding

The House on Wednesday quickly passed a bill that would give the public a better view of donations going to presidential libraries and may offer a temporary window into Barack Obama’s fundraising.

Federal News Radio | Jan 4, 2017

Government accountability legislation gets House backing, heads to Senate

A package of bills aimed at government oversight and transparency was voted out of the House Wednesday, as the 115th Congress settled in to its first week of legislative work. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) said in a statement that the bills “promote good and efficient government.”

Federal News Radio | Jan 3, 2017

Proposed rule clarifies privileges for presidential records disclosure

New year, new president, and the National Archives and Records Administration is making sure there are no questions around disclosure of presidential records, and reminding agencies of their own accountability to archive data during a time of change.

Wall Street Journal | Dec 28, 2016

Obama Designates Two New National Monuments in Utah and Nevada

President Barack Obama designated two new national monuments in Utah and Nevada, a move that critics say appears designed to infuriate rural Westerners opposed to federal control of public lands.

Wall Street Journal | Dec 19, 2016

House Panel Urges New Law for U.S. Cellphone Surveillance

A House committee has recommended Congress pass a new law to create national standards for how police officers and federal agents use powerful cellphone tracking technology in their investigations.

The Hill | Dec 19, 2016

Oversight panel calls for tougher rules on using cellphone tracking Stingrays

A bipartisan House Oversight report is questioning the transparency and constitutionality of law enforcement's use of controversial cellphone trackers and calling for new rules.

The Atlantic | Dec 15, 2016

The National Park Service Has a Big Sexual Harassment Problem

The agency tasked with safeguarding America’s greatest public lands has neglected to protect its female employees.

Fedweek | Dec 13, 2016

Report Summarizes Agency-Imposed Fines and Penalties

Between 2010 and 2015, federal agencies collected more than $83 billion in civil, criminal, and regulatory fines and penalties, some of which they returned to the Treasury’s general fund, some of which they transferred to other agencies with authority over the matter and some of which they kept for themselves, according to a House report.

Federal News Radio | Dec 12, 2016

3 takeaways from the FITARA 3.0 hearing

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held its biannual session Dec. 6, where we heard mostly good news with 12 agencies improving their grades and 11 agencies earning the same grade as last time. But what’s really great about these FITARA hearings is finding out what’s happening in agencies underneath the grades.