Lisa Rein

Washington, D.C.

Federal government, arcane civil service provisions, policy, Veterans Affairs.

Education: Wesleyan University, B.A. history

Lisa Rein covers federal agencies and the management of government in the Biden administration. At The Washington Post, she has written about federal workers, state politics and government in Annapolis and Richmond; local government in Fairfax County, Va.; and the redevelopment of Washington and its neighborhoods. She was previously a reporter for the New York Daily News, where she covered former mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and the city’s colorful taxi industry. Before crossing the Hudson River, she chronicled Asian immigration to northern New Jersey for the Record of Hackensack. Rein started h
Share confidential news tips with The Post
Latest from Lisa Rein

Biden to propose 5.2 percent federal pay increase, largest in 43 years

President Biden will propose a 5.2 percent raise for federal employees, the largest increase the White House has put forward since Jimmy Carter was president.

March 8, 2023

Their toddler took a nap in an Airbnb — and fentanyl killed her

The 19-month-old toddler was napping when her family discovered she had died.

March 3, 2023

Biden personnel head under fire after hires with history of sexual misconduct

Lawmakers are pressing the Office of Personnel Management over the hiring of two senior officials found to have a history of sexual misconduct.

March 1, 2023

Emboldened by its majority, House GOP turns up heat on federal workers

The new GOP House majority is eager to ramp up scrutiny of the army of civil servants who run the government’s day-to-day operations.

February 27, 2023

Social Security services to worsen despite budget boost, agency head says

The Social Security Administration’s already debilitated services will further erode this year despite a $785 million boost to its budget, the agency’s acting head has told lawmakers.

February 18, 2023

Despite prior sexual harassment probe, executive hired to senior federal job

The agency that sets personnel and hiring policy across the federal government hired a senior leader last year who was found in a previous job to have sexually harassed two women.

February 3, 2023

Senior OPM leader used racial slur, sexist language, watchdog finds

A senior official at the Office of Personnel Management used a racial slur and sexist language in his previous job at the Pentagon, a watchdog found.

January 20, 2023

Senate investigators to probe tumult in Social Security watchdog division

The Senate Finance Committee is preparing to launch a broad, bipartisan inquiry into the Social Security Administration Inspector General’s Office as lawmakers are concerned about management failures compromising its mission.

December 29, 2022

Social Security denies disability benefits based on list with jobs from 1977

Despite spending at least $250 million to modernize its system, Social Security still relies on 45-year-old job titles to deny thousands of disability claims.

December 27, 2022

Lawmakers decry massive backlog in Social Security disability claims

A bipartisan call for action followed a Washington Post report on a crisis at the little-known state offices that process applications for Social Security’s two disability programs.

December 7, 2022