Friday Morning Federal Newscast – Nov. 19th

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Amy Morris discuss throughout the show each day. T...

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Amy Morris discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air.

  • Next time you work from home in a snowstorm, you might feel better about it. The House has passed a long-anticipated telework bill the Senate already approved. The president is expected to sign the Telework Enhancement Act. The bill will require agencies to revamp their telework policies, notifying all employees whether they are eligible. It also requires appointment of telework managing officer in each agency who would be responsible for overseeing training. The bill was sponsored by Representatives Gerry Connolly and Frank Wolf of Virginia and John Sarbanes of Maryland.
  • Disastisfaction over security pat-downs and veteran pilots suing over their treatment by government screeners have prompted some airports to consider ditching TSA agents completely. Federal law allows airports to opt for screeners from the private sector and one Congressman who’s been a longtime critic of the Transportation Security Administration thinks private screeners are the way to go. Republican Congressman John Mica of Florida, has written letters to nation’s 100 busiest airports asking that they request private security screeners instead. Some of the companies who might take the TSA’s place are among the lawmaker’s campaign contributors.
  • OPM launches an effort to find out why the government has a problem firing poorly-performing workers. The agency has begun studying how it punishes employees who cannot or will not improve. For now, the study will focus only on OPM workers. But Federal Times reports Director John Berry wants to expand it and has asked other agencies to volunteer.
  • Jacob Lew is confirmed, at long last. The Senate confirmed Lew as the new White House budget chief. This, after Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana dropped her hold on the nomination. Landrieu objected to the nomination in protest over the administration’s ban on offshore oil drilling. The Senate confirmed Lew on a voice vote after Landrieu lifted the hold. With the confirmation, Lew returns to the White House as director of the Office of Management and Budget — the same post he held from 1998 to 2001 in the Clinton administration.
  • The president’s nominee to be comptroller general is pledging to help agencies and programs get off GAO’s high-risk list. Acting Comptroller General Gene Dodaro tells a Senate panel that he’ll work with agencies and OMB and involve Congress when necessary. Federal Times reports that if confirmed, he’ll also work with agencies to reduce improper payments and improve efficiency.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has snuffed out hopes of passing an omnibus appropriations bill during the lame duck session of Congress. The Kentucky Republican withheld support for the trillion dollar package, likely forcing Congress to craft a second continuing resolution. If that happens, the next Congress, which convenes in January, would have to take up appropriations legislation for fiscal 2011. The current continuing resolution expires December 3rd.
  • The Senate gears up to vote on the 2011 Defense authorization bill. The measure has made it back onto the Senate calendar. And Majority Leader Senator Harry Reid says the vote will happen right after the Thanksgiving break. Politico reports the measure will include a provision to repeal the military’s ban on gays serving openly.
  • Two DHS contractors have been suspended from doing business with the federal government. The Washington Post reports E-G Solutions and MultimaxArray FirstSource are accused of working with a larger company to defraud the government. This is part of a continuing investigation by the Small Business Administration, and the suspensions are part of an unprecedented enforcement effort by SBA. From 2007 through July, E-G Solutions landed more than $166 million in work under First Source. MultimaxArray received $67 million. An executive with MultimaxArray says his firm is cooperating with the investigation and that they believe their actions were appropriate.
  • Lockheed Martin will close its manufacturing facility in Eagan, Minnesota, by the end of 2013. It also plans to move work from its Middle River, Maryland site by the end of 2011. The Washington Business Journal reports the move is going to impact more than a thousand jobs. Lockheed also said most of its ground vehicles business in Owego, New York, will be transferred to Dallas next year. That will affect another 40 jobs. The layoffs will start next year and continue for two years. Lockheed says the move will save the company $150 million over ten years.
  • It’s only $10 million, but it’s good news for open government advocates. Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman has sponsored a bill that, for the first time, would require stable funding for electronic rule-making. The legislation was co-sponsored by Susan Collins of Maine. NextGov reports the bill would provide 10 million dollars annually for operation of regulations dot gov. It would appropriate another one million dollars per year to upgrade the web site’s infrastructure. Right now, Regulations.gov is funded under a pass-the-hat system by agencies that use it.
  • The National Institutes of Health could be adding on a new institute. This one would focus specifically on substance use, abuse, and addiction research. The NIH Scientific Management Review Board has formally recommended that NIH create the new Institute just for addiction. NIH Director Francis Collins wants to create a task force to look at all of NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers to find substance use, abuse, and addiction research programs. He wants recommendations about what programs should be moved into the proposed new Institute and a reorganization plan on his desk by summer 2011.

More news links

Power outages, fires plaguing federal buildings (WashingtonPost)

VA loses and recovers unencrypted thumb drive (NextGov)

Long lines from tightened security delay justice at D.C. Superior Court (WashingtonPost)

Which airports have body-scanning technology? (CNN)

Pilot missing after F-22 crash identified

Social Security Administration official is indicted for selling Social Security numbers (DOJ press release)

Government contractor is sentenced for stealing computers from USDA and selling them over the Internet (DOJ press release)

D.C. Forum: Bed Bugs a National Threat (DiscoveryNews)

Idaho scientists find new seismic fault in Rockies (Reuters)

Dollywood wins award for best theme park in the world (CSMonitor)

What to do in the event of a Pandemic outbreak (OPM)

THIS AFTERNOON ON FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

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