Monday Morning Federal Newscast – May 23rd

Thousands of Air Force jobs to go unfilled, SSA call center put on hold, Broadband cell test knocks out GPS

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.

  • Until more money can be found, for every two vacancies in the Air Force civilian ranks, only one person will be hired. The Air Force had planned to fill 21,500 new civilian positions for fiscal 2012, but only has enough money to hire about 4,000. The Federal Times reports the Air Force isn’t alone: other agencies are in the same boat. The Social Security Administration, Justice Department, the Smithsonian Institution and the State Department are also curtailing hiring plans because they expect future budgets to stay flat or even decrease. Bill Snodgrass, the chief of manpower programming at Air Force tells the Air Force Times that applicants who were told they would be hired before the new policy will still have a job.
  • More than half-a-million full-time career feds and postal workers could retire right now. The Washington Post reports the eligible workers represent about a quarter of the 2.4 million permanent full-time employees collecting government or postal paychecks. It isn’t likely that they’ll all retire at once. But unions and federal workers say that they’re more likely to consider retiring if proposals to increase payroll deductions for pension funds make it to law.
  • The Social Security Administration will halt construction of its new call center in Jackson, Tennessee. An agency spokeswoman tells Federal Times, Social Security had to stop construction because of severe budget cuts by Congress. She says the 300,000 square foot project will not be finished. Shyam Reddy is the regional administrator for the General Services Administration Southeast region. She tells The Jackson Sun, GSA plans to finish construction of the exterior walls, but will leave the interior unfinished. GSA is working with the landowner on a possible sale of the shell.
  • It appears that the Securities and Exchange Commission might be considering unloading some of its remaining space at the Constitution Center. The General Services Administration tells the Washington Business Journal that they’re meeting with the SEC to figure out their next move. The SEC has independent leasing authority, and signed its own contract for 900,000 square feet. They thought they’d be growing because of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, but in December, with its budget up in the air, the SEC reported 600,000 square feet of excess space.
  • Students looking for summer jobs might have some luck with the federal government. Federal agencies have summer jobs available for both students and recent college graduates all over the country. Positions range from administrative assistants and technicians to other support staff in the fields of engineering, national security, environment, health, and technology. Some of these jobs can be springboards to permanent positions with the federal government.
  • A new broadband network can interfere with or block GPS signals. The network, built by LightSquared of Reston, received its initial operating license from the FCC in January. NextGov reports initial tests of the LightSquared system knocked out GPS receivers used by emergency responders. Tests took place at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. State police and county ambulance services took part in the demo. Local sources tell NextGov that when cruisers were parked beneath cell towers equipped with LightSquared, their GPS receivers failed. County gear could not connect with GPS satellites when parked within 60 yards of a tower.

More news links

Bonuses for VA health facility managers are exorbitant and mind boggling (AFGE)

Spy, Military Ties Aided bin Laden Raid (WallStreetJournal – subscription)

IRS snafu leaves taxpayers, refunds in limbo for months

THIS AFTERNOON ON FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

Coming up today on In Depth with Francis Rose:

–The Department of Veterans Affairs is getting strategic on acquisition. They’ll tell you why, and how, they’re doing it.

–The Marine Corps lays out its spending plan for fiscal 2012.

–And getting the right people, to get your agency what they need. The Education Department’s top acquisition pro shares his secrets.

Join Francis from 3 to 7 pm on 1500 AM or on your computer.

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Getty Images/iStockphoto/SIphotographyretirement

    How to make sure you outlive your investments after you retire

    Read more