Oversight

Ernst calls for investigation into SBA remote work abuse

By Ripon Advance News Service | April 16, 2024

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, led two of her committee colleagues in requesting that the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) Office of Inspector General (OIG) launch an investigation into how Read more…

South Dakota Republicans question impact on rural areas of USPS downsizing

By Ripon Advance News Service | April 16, 2024

U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and John Thune (R-SD) joined U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) in urging the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) against downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in states like South Dakota without considering the impact on Read more…

Ernst’s bipartisan bill to make federal telework policies more transparent

By Ripon Advance News Service | April 5, 2024

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would scrutinize the impact of federal telework policies on the delivery and response times of services to ensure taxpayer dollars are not wasted. Federal employee use of telework skyrocketed during Read more…

Cassidy leads effort to overturn Dept. of Labor’s independent contractor rule

By Ripon Advance News Service | March 8, 2024

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution on Wednesday to overturn a Department of Labor final worker classification rule and protect the 27 million Americans who work as independent contractors. The final rule, the Employee or Read more…

Carter unveils FDA Modernization Act 3.0

By Ripon Advance News Service | February 8, 2024

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) on Feb. 6 introduced a bipartisan bill to reduce or replace the use of animals in nonclinical testing. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Modernization Act 3.0, H.R. 7248, was sponsored by Rep. Carter alongside Read more…

Fitzpatrick offers bipartisan bill to secure impartial appointments of ALJs

By Ripon Advance News Service | February 7, 2024

To ensure independent and nonpartisan appointments of Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) on Feb. 5 cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would once again make ALJs members of the competitive civil service. “Decisions made by administrative law Read more…

Ernst requests investigation into defense spending in China

By Ripon Advance News Service | January 29, 2024

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-A) wants the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate whether U.S. defense dollars may have been purposely or inadvertently diverted to China or if they are paying for risky research on pandemic-potential pathogens. “This Read more…

Ernst succeeds in pushing SBA to recover fraudulent pandemic-era loans

By Ripon Advance News Service | January 5, 2024

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) on Jan. 3 applauded recent notice from the Small Business Administration (SBA) that it is going to refer default COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to the U.S. Treasury Read more…

FDA regulatory decisions being investigated by McMorris Rodgers, E&C Committee members

By Ripon Advance News Service | January 5, 2024

U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), chair of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee, is leading an investigation into how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) handles internal scientific disagreements related to regulatory decisions. “We are concerned Read more…

House advances Salazar’s bill to recover billions in fraudulent COVID loans

By Ripon Advance News Service | December 4, 2023

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar

The U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 30 advanced a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) that would reclaim fraudulent COVID-19 loans and re-establish fiscal responsibility and government accountability. The Returning Erroneous COVID Loans Addressing Illegal Read more…