Monday federal headlines – February 23, 2015

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 Air Force is cancelling its suspension of reverse auction vendor FedBid. The Air Force and FedBid reached an agreement after a little more than three weeks. The Air Force said it’s not changing its plans to propose former FedBid CEO Ali Saadat for debarment. (Federal News Radio)
• The government sent the wrong tax information to 800,000 HealthCare.gov customers. The mistake happened when information on this year’s premiums were substituted for what should have been 2014 numbers. The problem involved a new government form known as 1095-A. It’s similar to a W-2 form, but specifically for people who received subsidized coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Officials asked those affected to delay filing their 2014 tax returns. About 11.4 million people signed up for health care on the federal exchange this year. (Federal News Radio)
• Key federal cybersecurity initiatives would be an early casualty of a Homeland Security Department funding lapse. That’s according to Andy Ozment, the assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications. He said the roll out of the Einstein network monitors to other agencies would stop. And a planned task order for continuous diagnostics and would not go forward. DHS is operating on a continuing resolution that expires Friday. Further funding is held up in Congress because of a dispute over the White House’s immigration policy. (Federal News Radio)
• Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson found the Islamic State and the snowy winter have something in common. Both would get less needed attention should DHS funding lapse when its continuing resolution expires Friday. Johnson made the rounds of the Sunday talk shows warning of what might happen. He said efforts to counter Islamic State propaganda would be hampered. And he said FEMA might lack enough people to respond to communities buried by snowstorms. Johnson said 80 percent of FEMA’s workforce could face furloughs. Congress returns today to renew debate on a $40 billion funding bill. (Federal News Radio)
• A female soldier made launcher chief history. Cpl. Erica Gunter became the first woman to enter the non-commissioned officer corps and be assigned as a Multiple Launch Rocket System launcher chief. The rocket system fires surface rockets at a rate of up to 12 rockets per minute. The Army said the position is usually held by a staff sergeant. Gunter said the position was something she’s wanted since starting basic training. She was one of the first females to attend the training. (Army)
• PayPal could become the next big thing for payments to and by the federal government. Federal Times reports the Treasury Fiscal Service is offering agencies both PayPal and its competitor, Dwolla. Agencies can access both digital wallets at the Pay.gov portal. Treasury already collects 98 percent of the $3.75 trillion it takes in using electronic means. (Federal Times)
• A key part of Veterans Affairs reform is a flop. So few veterans are using the so-called VA Choice that Secretary Bob McDonald is asking Congress for permission to reprogram the money for it. VA Choice lets veterans seek care at private providers, with VA paying. VA sent out 10 million Choice Cards since November. Only 27,000 veterans have made outside appointments using them. Republicans and Democrats insist the problem is the department and that it needs to do a better job promoting the choice program. They also want to change a quirk in the law that makes it hard for some veterans in rural areas to prove they live at least 40 miles from a VA health site. (Federal News Radio)
• A new research center will help local governments increase their resilience to natural disasters. The National Institute of Standards and Technology awarded $20 million for the Community Resilience Center of Excellence. It’s based in Fort Collins, Colorado. NIST will give $4 million a year to the center for five years. The agency can decide to renew for an additional five years. The goal of the center is to help buildings withstand natural hazards, such as tornadoes, flooding and wildfires. The center will help with everything from preparing for anticipated disasters to recovering quickly when one happens. (Commerce )
• Agencies are winning awards for their bright ideas in innovation. Harvard University’s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation handed out the awards. The Ash Center said the awards recognize the best innovations in American government. The Veterans Affairs Department earned the most awards — three — and NASA took home two. Some of the programs included VA’s Warriors to Workforce program, which trains veterans to be contract specialists, and the department’s Mobile Health apps. Other winning agencies include the State Department, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Environmental Protection Agency, Navy and Small Business Administration. (Harvard)
• The Health and Human Services Departments will award nearly $200 million for domestic preparedness efforts for Ebola. Funding through the Hospital Preparedness Program comes in addition to Ebola emergency funds. The money goes to states and other grantees to develop a preparedness and response system for Ebola. HHS wants to create a regional treatment network for Ebola. The network will include an Ebola treatment center in each of HHS’ 10 regions, hospitals can that isolate a person suspected to have Ebola and health care facilities that can identify patients with signs or symptoms of Ebola. New York City is getting the most money as part of the Hospital Preparedness Program — $15 million. D.C. is tetting $4 million, Maryland $11 million and Virginia $7 million. (HHS)

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