Caroline May

The Office of Personnel Management made 2015’s government-wide employee engagement index scores and the global satisfaction index scores public Tuesday, revealing that DHS ranked dead last in both employee engagement and job satisfaction among large agencies. While the federal government as a whole experienced a one percent increase in employee engagement to 64 percent from 63 percent last year, DHS actually lost a percentage point in engagement, falling to 53 percent

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) have introduced legislation to make the to make the murder of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder an aggravating factor in favor of the death penalty. Current law already applies this penalty when the murder victim is a federal law enforcement officer or prosecutor. The legislation comes in the wake of a number high profile murders of police officers, including Pennsylvania State Trooper Corporal Bryon Dickson and Philadelphia Officer Robert Wilson, III.

The Pope’s address to Congress should make lawmakers reconsider before insulting immigrants and cutting welfare, according to Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (R-IL).

“As the leader of the Republican Party in Congress, the Speaker must be willing to fight the Obama administration’s dangerous, immoral, and sometimes illegal, actions using every tool our Constitution provides,” Rep. Matt Salmon said. “This is what the majority of Americans want their leaders in Congress to do, and ultimately, Mr. Boehner could no longer provide the leadership necessary to do this.”

House Speaker John Boehner says he ultimately decided to announce his resignation as a step in his on-going effort to strengthen the House. After walking to the podium singing “zippity do dah,” Boehner addressed his newly-announced departure from Congress by telling reporters that his primary goal has been to protect the institution of Congress.

Phyllis Schlafly: Tryouts for New House Speaker Begin Today

In a surprise announcement Friday morning during a closed-door Republican conference meeting, John Boehner revealed his intentions to step down as speaker. In his statement, release later Friday, Boehner offered additional details about the circumstances of his early departure. “My mission every day is to fight for a smaller, less costly, and more accountable government. Over the last five years, our majority has advanced conservative reforms that will help our children and their children. I am proud of what we have accomplished,” Boehner said in a statement Friday.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), the lawmaker who challenged House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) leadership in July, commended the now-outgoing leader for his service in the House and called for the GOP to hear the American people. “Speaker Boehner has served honorably during a difficult time for Republicans when the threat of a veto from the White House constantly impedes our legislative agenda,” Meadows said in a statement Friday.

House Speaker John Boehner’s resignation is an indication that the American people are being heard in the Washington, Heritage Action’s chief executive officer Michael Needham says

“Americans deserve a Congress that fights for opportunity for all and favoritism to none,” Needham said. “Too often, Speaker Boehner has stood in the way. Today’s announcement is a sign that the voice of the American people is breaking through in Washington.”

House Democrats are appealing to Pope Francis to promote comprehensive immigration reform during his visit in the U.S., among other causes. In a series of short videos released Tuesday, Democrats urge the pontiff to advocate for their issues during his address to Congress. In each video a variety of different lawmakers speak directly into the camera and address their statements and desires to the Pope.

Nearly half of Americans think the federal government “poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens,” according to a recent Gallup poll.