Wednesday federal headlines – December 17, 2014

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on Federal News Radio each day. It is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com reade...

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.

  • If your agency’s having trouble figuring out how to add FedRAMP standards to its contract solicitations, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy wants to help. OFPP is coming out with new guidance to clarify how to add those standards. But there’s no timeline yet on when to expect that guidance. (Federal News Radio)
  • Lawmakers are furious with the Social Security Administration for targeting family members to resolve decades-old debts. The agency promised to stop the practice more than eight months ago. But the Washington Post reports SSA has not lived up to its pledge. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Vern Buchanan (R- Fla.) wrote letters to acting Commissioner Carolyn Colvin, saying the practice runs counter to the agency’s mission. Buchanan said he plans to introduce legislation in January that would prevent SSA from seizing individuals’ tax refunds to settle overpayments from more than ten years ago. (Washington Post)
  • The Transportation Security Administration asked for and received an exemption from the Obama administration’s ban on racial profiling. But rather than profile travelers based on race, agents gave extra careful looks at people based on their nationality and gender. Administrator John Pistole said officers give particular attention to people from Syria and Yemen. The Justice Department last week issued guidelines forbidding federal law enforcement agencies from profiling on the basis of religion, national origin and other characteristics. TSA and Customs and Border Protection are exempt. (Federal News Radio)
  • The Veterans Health Administration handed Congress and the media false information about how many veterans requests for consults it was able to resolve. That’s according to the VA inspector general. Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), chairman of the House Veterans Affair Committee, requested the IG investigation. At issue is how VHA handled its own look into whether veterans asking for health consultations actually got them. The number of unresolved requests hit the 2 million mark in 2012. Last April, VHA provided fact sheets showing a sharp decline in unresolved cases. Assistant Inspector General John Daigh Jr. found many of the so-called facts were misleading or incorrect. He said it’s because VHA’s review procedures weren’t sufficient to find out whether requests from veterans were actually fulfilled. VHA officials agree with the findings. (VA )
  • A former Homeland Security Department official was sentenced to three years in prison. The Justice Department said Eugenio Pedraza was sentenced for falsifying records and obstructing investigations. Pedraza headed the DHS Inspector General Office in McAllen, Texas, from 2009 to 2012. According to the charges, Pedraza and three co-conspirators altered documents to hide the fact that they weren’t completing investigations on time or inline with department standards. Federal prosecutors said Pedraza’s actions resulted in closing cases prematurely, with potential consequences to national security. Pedraza was found guilty in March. (DoJ )
  • In its last few days before the end of the year, the Senate confirmed a new administrator for the government’s auto safety agency. Mark Rosekind will head the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He succeeds David Strickland, who left the position in January. Once Rosekind assumes his post, he’ll face the agency’s issue of revitalizing oversight of auto recalls because of safety defects. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Rosekind is prepared for the job, and he expected him to be “relentless in the pursuit of safety.” (Federal News Radio)
  • The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development is leaving his post. Rajiv Shah said he’ll step down as administrator early next year. Shah has been in the position since 2010. He took office shortly after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti. During his time as administrator, Shah pushed USAID to give money directly to foreign development groups, instead of American contractors. He also sought changes in how the U.S. runs its international food aid program. Shah has not yet announced his next career plans. (New York Times)
  • Two Defense Department technology executives are on the move. Moving up is Janice Glover-Jones. She’s losing the “interim” from her title to become the permanent chief information officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency. That move becomes effective just after Christmas. Glover-Jones has been deputy CIO since July 2012. Before that she worked at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. Moving out is Rocky Young, the chief of emerging technology and cybersecurity in the Defense Department CIO’s office. He’ll join the Mitre Corporation. Young spent 21 years in the Air Force and another nine years as a civilian federal employee. His last day in government is Friday. He starts his new job Monday. (Federal News Radio)
  • The Postal Service Board of Governors is working in spite of the fact that it lacks a quorum. It formed a temporary emergency committee to keep matters moving along. In a notice, the board said failure to act would raise constitutional issues. When Chairman Mickey Barnett’s term ended last week, the board shrank to five members. That’s one short of a quorum. Bartnett and five others have been cleared by a Senate panel and are waiting for a full Senate vote. (Federal News Radio)
  • The Army is exploring concepts for vehicles that would be lighter and faster. Defense News reports, the vehicles will still be strong and lethal. Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster is head of the Army Capabilities Integration Center. He said combat teams lack mobility in their current vehicles. The Army has already made public three concepts for light vehicles. It’s also working on lighter armor, weapons, ammunition and electronics. The push for new technology is part of an overall effort to maintain military superiority over other countries. (Defense News)

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