Hiring, Representative Payee Bills Advance

Before recessing the Senate passed HR-1513, which makes a temporary or seasonal employee of a land management agency in the Department of the Interior eligible to compete for a permanent appointment in any land management agency or any other agency under internal merit promotion procedures. That has been signed into law as PL 114-47. The House meanwhile passed the measure earlier. The Senate also passed S-1576, to add protections against fraud by “representative payees,” individuals designated to accept retirement payments on behalf of another person, typically because the beneficiary is a minor or is unable to handle finances due to an incapacity.