Last June, the White House issued a set of proposals to reform and reorganize government functions in dozens of executive branch agencies. The proposals range from cosmetic (e.g., renaming the Department of Health and Human Services) to substantial (e.g., combining the Departments of Labor and Education) with significant implications for domestic and foreign policy, as well as for national security.
A memorandum prepared by the Congressional Research Service provides brief summaries and analyses of the most important proposals, assessing their feasibility and describing the uncertainties involved. See Trump Administration Reform and Reorganization Plan: Discussion of 35 “Government-Wide” Proposals, CRS memorandum, July 25, 2018.
New and updated reports issued by the Congressional Research Service last week include the following.
Air Force B-21 Raider Long Range Strike Bomber, updated October 12, 2018
Religious Intolerence [sic] in Indonesia, CRS In Focus, October 10, 2018
Post-election Issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina, CRS Insight, October 11, 2018
Hurricane Michael: Brief Overview of FEMA Programs and Resources, CRS Insight, updated October 11, 2018
Temporary Protected Status: Overview and Current Issues, updated October 10, 2018
Vehicle Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Standards, CRS In Focus, updated October 11, 2018
Expiration of the 2014 Farm Bill, October 11, 2018
House Passes Bill to Amend the Federal “Crime of Violence” Definition, CRS Legal Sidebar, October 11, 2018
Deference and its Discontents: Will the Supreme Court Overrule Chevron?, CRS Legal Sidebar, October 11, 2018
The public rarely sees the quiet, often messy work that goes into creating, passing, and implementing a major piece of legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act.
If this proposed rule were enacted it would have deleterious effects on government workers in general and federal researchers and scientists, specifically.
When we introduce “at-will” employment to government employees, we also introduce the potential for environments where people are more concerned about self-preservation than service to others.
There is no better time to re-invigorate America’s innovation edge by investing in R&D to create and capture “industries of the future,” re-shoring capital and expertise, and working closely with allies to expand our capabilities while safeguarding those technologies that are critical to our security.