Federal Newscast

Democrats want to make the retirement process easier on federal employees. A new bill in the House would require the Office of Personnel Management to provide missing records, correct errors and offer benefits information to federal retirees seeking help. Feds who recently separated or retired would be able to submit requests for support for up to four years, if the bill is enacted. The legislation comes after many feds faced major retirement processing delays during last year’s sweeping workforce reductions.
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September was not a good month for the Thrift Savings Plan. All but one of the funds saw month-over-month drops. Only the G fund increased in September by .4% from where it was in August. The silver lining for September for the other 15 funds is they all experienced drops of less than 4% total. The S Fund saw the biggest month-over-month drop of 3.66%. For the year, every account but the F fund is in the black with the I Fund posting the largest year to date growth of over 16%.
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The Pentagon wants to build a new military base inside the U.S. and is asking states to compete for it. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the base could host up to 25,000 troops and serve as a hub for homeland defense, command and control and cyber operations. He also promises the base will feature cutting-edge technology, first-class barracks and timeless classical architecture. The base would become the first newly built domestic military installation since the 1980s. A plan for that process is due by the end of October.
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The Government Accountability Office found OMB’s rescission of nearly $1 billion of approved spending on September 26, violated the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The decision not only was the Trump administration’s 12th violation of the ICA since taking office in January 2025, but it also was the first ICA decision in a year from GAO. The latest ruling relies on previous conclusions that the OMB can’t use the Impoundment Control Act process to withhold funds past their date of expiration, in this case September 30. GAO says ICA provides that amounts proposed for rescission must be made available for obligation unless Congress completes action on a bill rescinding them. GAO says OMB’s actions subvert both the constitutional process and Congress’s power of the purse.
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A top House Democrat is putting defense contractors on notice about potential investigations into unusual dealings with the Trump administration. House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes says he’s concerned that the administration has inappropriately fused contracting processes with the extraction of political or private favors. In a letter to the National Defense Industrial Association on Monday, Himes said the intelligence committee may seek documents, testimony and other information on potential conflicts of interest. He points to how several major defense and intelligence contractors made donations to the new White House ballroom.
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