Monday federal headlines – November 17, 2014

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.

• The Veterans Affairs Department failed its annual cybersecurity audit for the 16th year in a row. The VA Inspector General said the department still has what it calls significant weaknesses in complying with the Federal Information Security Management Act. The list of 6,000 vulnerabilities the IG identified last year has been cut by 21 percent. (Federal News Radio)
• Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe says he’ll retire after 39 years with the U.S. Postal Service. His successor on Feb. 1 will be Megan Brennan, currently USPS’ chief operating officer. Donahoe has managed to stop a decline in revenue while presiding over a restructuring of the Postal Service. But losses continue. This year the Postal Service will lose $5 billion. Officials argue with Congress over whether to continue Saturday delivery and close unneeded processing centers. (Federal News Radio)
• The State Department shut off its unclassified e-mail Sunday. The move allowed technicians to fix damage from a suspected cyber attack. They were working over the weekend to make security improvements. An official said an “activity of concern” was detected when the White House was hacked in October. The official, speaking anonymously, said State’s classified networks were unaffected. (Federal News Radio)
• Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the U.S. military is accelerating efforts to train and advise Iraqi forces fighting Islamic State militants. Hagel spoke while observing Army training in the Mojave Desert. His comments came as the White House confirmed Islamic State militants beheaded a third American captured in Syria. Hagel said special operations troops in Anbar province are getting an early start on the train-and-advise effort. He said Gen. Lloyd Austin, commander of U.S. Central Command, recommended the speed up. Pentagon officials hope the move will spur other countries in the coalition against the Islamic State to send trainers of their own. (Federal News Radio)
• The Pentagon is looking for fresh ideas on how to keep military superiority. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced a “defense innovation initiative.” He called it a “game-changing strategy” that would help the U.S. military keep its edge over other countries, like Russia and China. As part of the initiative, Hagel will launch a long-range research and development program. The program will expand on new technologies, including robotics and 3-D printing. Hagel said the Pentagon will ask the private sector for help with these technologies. (Federal News Radio)
• The Veterans Affairs Department has made progress in reducing wait times for appointments. USA Today reports the number of those waiting the longest, more than four months, dropped from 120,000 in May to 23,000 in October. But more than 600,000 veterans still wait at least a month at some locations. Long wait times still exist at 64 VA facilities, including large medical centers in Baltimore; Jacksonville, Florida; and Atlanta. They still have waiting times averaging 60 days for primary care appointments. (USA Today)
• The Navy deployed the first destructive laser weapon on a ship in the Persian Gulf. Bloomberg reports the device is mounted on the bow of the USS Ponce, an amphibious transport. The prototype is made of a combination of commercial welding lasers. Navy officials said it has a range of power settings. It can dazzle an enemy with light. Or, it can be cranked up to set a drone aircraft or small boat on fire. The laser was developed by the Navy Sea Systems Command. It cost about $1 per shot to operate. At maximum power it takes 30 kilowatts of electricity. (Bloomberg)
• The Pentagon will mobilize more than 2,000 reserve soldiers for Ebola duty. The troops will replace forces on duty in Senegal and Liberia. About 2,200 troops are working on Ebola response missions now in West Africa. Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said the Army is notifying soldiers and their families about the mobilization. The troops will receive training on Ebola and malaria prevention before deploying to West Africa. The Pentagon announced last month that it planned to mobilize eight reservists with engineering skills to build medical facilities. (DoD)
• The Office of Special Counsel is revamping its website. It’s part of an effort to make the agency’s data more open and transparent. In its open government plan, OSC said the changes will make its website more user-friendly. The agency said it will re-organize content on the site. It will launch an e-filing system so feds can submit complaints online. OSC also plans to expand its social media presence. On the back end, the website will be able to more efficiently gather and process data. (OSC)
• Agencies have significantly expanded their undercover operations, the New York Times reports. Officers from at least 40 agencies pose as everything from business people, to political protesters and doctors. Undercover agents at the IRS are acting as accountants and tax prepares. They’re helping to crack down on tax evaders. At the Agriculture Department, officers are posing as food stamp recipients, to spot suspicious vendors and fraud. Some agency officials said undercover work lets them gather evidence that they wouldn’t be able to obtain otherwise. But others said it violates civil liberties. (New York Times)
• The Obama administration said so far so good for HealthCare.gov. The administration said the website is stable and working well. Open enrollment began this weekend and 100,000 people submitted applications on the site. Thousands who already have coverage were able to log-in to their accounts. About 7 million people are enrolled in the health care program. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell expects that number to grow to 9 million. The Congressional Budget Office projects a total of 13 million will sign up for 2015. (Federal News Radio)

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