Tuesday Morning Federal Newscast – May 3rd

Federal jobs that pay over $180K

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.

  • Bi-partisan goodwill in Congress over the killing of Osama bin Laden is unlikely to carry over to upcoming 2012 budget negotiations. Republicans and Democrats have both had plenty of praise for the Obama administration’s operation in Pakistan, but as they get down to brass tacks this week, lawmakers are as divided as ever over how to begin taming the federal deficit. One Republican strategist says the bin Laden success gives the president zero additional credibility on debt and deficit issues. A spokesman for the Democratic group Third Way agrees, saying there’s not enough goodwill.
  • Federal employees who owe Uncle Sam may see pay checks garnished, even if those debts are more than 10 years old. The Office of Personnel Management is proposing a new rule that gets rid of a 10-year statute of limitations. It would allow creditors to collect old debts due from federal employees. This comes as Congress considers several proposals aimed at feds and contractors who owe back taxes. Comments on the proposed rule are due by July 1st.
  • Doctors, lawyers, and dentists top the list of the highest paid feds in government. USA Today analyzed federal workforce data from the Office of Personnel Management. They found feds who make more than $180,000 a year account for less than one percent of the workforce. Doctors make up eight out of 10 of those top-salaried jobs. Attorneys accounted for 6 percent, followed by dentists, with almost 3 percent, and financial institution examiners, with nearly 2 percent.
  • Federal Employees may soon be allowed to sit on non-profit boards. The U.S. government’s ethics office proposes an exemption to current conflict-of-interest laws. The Wall Street Journal reports, it would allow feds to sit on the boards of non-profit organizations in their official capacity. The Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, ruled 15 years ago that such appointments violated the law.
  • Federal aviation and safety officials are warning Congress that it will be harder to issue new airline safety rules if an industry-backed and House Republican-supported measure becomes law. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., is sponsoring an amendment requiring the FAA to analyze how the proposed rules could affect the economy, private markets, productivity, employment and competitiveness. The FAA would also be required to write separate safety rules for passenger airlines, cargo carriers and charters. Critics say the amendment could make some rules, like preventing exhausted pilots from flying, harder to enact.
  • Emergent BioSolutions is broadening its contract with the federal government. The move will supply anthrax vaccine to the national stockpile and is worth up to $101 million for the biodefense contractor. Emergent makes the only FDA-approved anthrax vaccine. Most of its revenue comes from federal public health agencies. The Washington Business Journal reports that the contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now calls for more than 3.4 million additional doses of BioThrax. That brings the contract up to a total of nearly 18 million doses.
  • Britain’s Prince Charles is coming to Washington, four days after the wedding of his older son. The Prince of Wales has several appearances scheduled, including two related to his interest in sustainable agriculture. The prince also plans a visit to the Supreme Court, where he’ll attend a reception for Marshall scholarship alumni. The scholarship program gives American students a chance to do graduate work in the United Kingdom.

More news links

Tornadoes: FEMA seeks to redeem agency reputation

Army Corps officer makes difficult choice on levee

The CIA Gets a Rare Public Victory (Time)

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–Getting the Defense Department’s books in order will take at least six more years. An experienced DoD auditor tells you what should happen next.

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