Monday federal headlines – October 13, 2014

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on Federal News Radio each day. It is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com reade...

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on the Federal Drive and In Depth radio shows each day. Our headlines are updated twice per day — once in the morning and once in the afternoon — with the latest news affecting federal employees and contractors.

  • Agencies have until 2017 to start using a new identification standard for contracts and procurement actions. The Federal Acquisition Regulations Council issued a proposed rule that lays out steps agencies should take to use the Procurement Instrument Identification numbering system. (Federal News Radio)
  • Cyber attacks hit an unnamed manufacturing firm over a period of several months. The Homeland Security Department described the organization as a conglomeration of many companies. NextGov reports the company went through multiple acquisitions, meaning the compromised network has a larger attack surface. (Nextgov)
  • The State Department is getting rid of the transgender exclusion from its largest health insurance program. The American Foreign Service Protective Association’s Foreign Service Benefit Plan covers nearly 60,000 State and Defense employees. Policies under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program usually exclude services related to sex reassignment. But starting in January, transgender employees under AFSPA will have the same coverage as all other State employees. The Washington Post reports the State Department is a front runner in policies affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender feds. The agency has more than 10 health insurance providers. State has asked all of its providers to lift the transgender exclusion. (The Washington Post )
  • U.S. and coalition forces will have access to military bases in Turkey. One of those is Incirlik Air Base. It’s 100 miles from the Syrian Border. Pentagon officials say using the bases will help fight Islamic State militants. Turkey will let American military aircraft launch from its bases. Warplanes from the U.S., Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched airstrikes in Syria over the weekend. The Turkish government also agrees to train Syrian opposition fighters. The Obama administration has been asking Turkey to play a larger role against the Islamic State group. (Federal News Radio)
  • The Army War College revoked Sen. John Walsh’s (D-Mont.) master’s degree thesis. A review board confirmed in its August finding that the thesis was mostly plagiarized. Walsh disagreed but said he accepts the school’s decision. The plagiarism came to light last summer after a New York Times story detailed instances of borrowed copy in Walsh’s thesis. The Montana Democrat was appointed in February when Max Baucus resigned to become the ambassador to China. He had been adjutant general overseeing Montana’s National Guard. After the plagiarism incident became public, Walsh decided not to seek election on his own. (Federal News Radio)
  • IRS commissioner John Koskinen is urging Congress to make a decision whether to extend transit benefits to federal employees. The public transit tax subsidy expired, along with 54 other tax breaks, in January. Koskinen said he needs a decision by November. Otherwise, the agency would have difficulty implementing it in time for the 2014 filing season. A retroactive decision next year could force millions of federal employees to file amended tax returns and force long refund delays. Kioskinen’s plea goes to Reps. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Sander “Sandy” Levin (D-Mich.), the chairman and ranking members of the Ways and Means Committee. And to Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Orrin Hatch (R- Utah) of the Senate Finance Committee. ( Federal News Radio)
  • The Defense Department released its second-ever climate road map. But it comes a few months past deadline. President Barack Obama wanted an updated plan from agencies by May. The new plan updates DoD’s first one from 2012. The department lists three adaptation goals in the road map. First, it wants to assess effects of climate change now and in the future. Second, the military wants to consider climate change in all decision-making. And lastly, it wants to maximize collaboration on expected challenges. That’s both within DoD and with other agencies. The roadmap lists details on how to achieve each of the three goals. (Federal News Radio)
  • Four former senior government officials will lead an independent review of the Secret Service. They’re appointed by Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. Former Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip and Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Joe Hagin both worked in the George W. Bush administration. Former associate attorney general Tom Perrelli and former presidential assistant Danielle Gray both served under President Barack Obama. Obama ordered the review after disclosure of a series of security lapses. They culminated last month when an Army veteran jumped the fence and ran through the White House. The selections drew criticism from Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who’s been investigating the Secret Service. (Federal News Radio )
  • The Army’s new operating concept emphasizes preventing wars, even as the Army tries to stay ready to win them. Army officials will unveil it at this week’s Association of the U.S. Army convention in Washington. Dubbed “Win in a Complex World,” the revised doctrine builds on lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan. Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, in a Wall Street Journal interview, cited the complexity of the environment. He said it means the Army must combine with other elements of national power before wars break out. The new doctrine points out that the U.S. faces many small and indirect threats. (Army/The Wall Street Journal )
  • Going to the doctor’s office isn’t the only way to get a check-up anymore. Almost 700,000 vets are using tele-health services at the Veterans Affairs Department. That’s about 12 percent of the veteran population. Tele-health lets patients use video-conferencing to consult with specialists. Vets can even get medical examinations electronically. Home tele-health is an option too. Older vets can directly connect to a VA hospital from home phone lines. Veterans living in rural areas make up more than half of the tele-health visits. They don’t always have easy access to VA health care. (Veterans Affairs)
  • Some Homeland Security employees are worried about their exposure to the Ebola virus. Many of them work at the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection. The American Federation of Government Employees asked agencies to put appropriate precautions in place. President J. David Cox wants agencies to provide training and protective equipment to officers. A few U.S. airports are screening passengers for Ebola. CBP employees will perform most of the checks. (AFGE)

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