Thursday federal headlines – March 26, 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 Veterans Affairs Department is moving its disability claims process to a standardized form. The previous rule allowed veterans to write their interpretation of a claim on a piece of paper and give it to the VA. Tom Murphy, the department’s director of Compensation Services, said the change would take the guesswork out of the claims process. VA put the rule into effect six months ago. But it first had to train service organizations and VA employees on how the new process works. Veterans can now use a paper form, call the agency or fill out an online version of the claims form. (Federal News Radio)
• NASA is planning to launch a rocket to an asteroid and grab a chunk of rock from it. The $1.25 billion plan would launch a solar-powered, unmanned spaceship to the an asteroid in December 2020. NASA said the ship would circle the asteroid for about a year. It would use robotic arms to grab a 13- foot boulder from the surface. The piece of the rock would then go into orbit around the moon. Astronauts will travel to the asteroid piece in 2025 to begin exploring. NASA said the mission would help prepare for future space exploration to Mars and beyond. (Federal News Radio)
• The Justice Department inspector general found management challenges in using drones. The FBI is the only Justice component to deploy drones for investigations including search and rescue, kidnappings and anti-drug trafficking interdictions. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is planning to use drones, but it hasn’t done so yet. The IG reports, the FBI has centralized all drones to one location, and it only has one team of two pilots operating all drones. The watchdog said that could limit the bureau’s ability to quickly deploy drones to far away locations or to multiple places. (Federal News Radio)
• More than 100,000 federal employees owe $3.5 billion to the IRS. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee passed a bill to hold those feds accountable. Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) introduced the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2015. The measure would prevent agencies from hiring applicants with tax debt. And agencies can fire employees who owed federal taxes. The committee also passed the Contracting and Tax Accountability Act of 2015. That bill prevents agencies from awarding contracts or grants to companies with tax debt. (Federal News Radio)
• The House approved its budget blueprint on a vote of 228 to 199. The budget cuts spending levels at civilian agencies and requires federal employees to contribute more money to their pensions. The budget committee said the plan would save $5.5 trillion over 10 years. The Senate plans to discuss its budget plan today. It’s similar in many ways to the House plan. But the Senate blueprint would shrink the federal workforce through attrition. The budget requires a majority vote and is likely to pass. (Federal News Radio)
• A congressionally mandated report found the FBI has to scramble to keep up with terrorism that’s getting more sophisticated. The report came out just as FBI Director James Comey was on Capitol Hill to defend a nearly $8.5 billion budget request. One of the authors, former Rep. Timothy Roemer (D- Ind.), says the threats are not just knocking at the FBI’s door. They’re in the room. The report examined five domestic terror plots over the last several years. It found lapses in communications and a need for better intelligence analysis and collection. It also points to the need for more cooperation with the private sector in countering cybersecurity threats. (Federal News Radio)
• A federal contractor was among those killed in the plane crash in the French Alps. Yvonne Selke was a 23-year veteran of Booz Allen Hamilton’s Washington Office. Her daughter Emily, a recent college grad, was traveling with her. Selke was assigned to a contract with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. NGA Director Robert Cardillo offered condolences. A third American killed in the crash of the Germanwings A-320 was not immediately identified. (Federal News Radio)
• IRS workers would be prohibited from using private email to conduct official business under a bipartisan bill passed by the House Ways and Means Committee. IRS policy already prohibits use of private email to transmit confidential taxpayer information. The committee has been investigating how the IRS treated conservative political groups before the 2012 elections. The now-retired Lois Lerner once headed the tax-exempt division and allegedly used private email. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) said the bill underscores the need for transparency in the conduct of official business. (Federal News Radio
• Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl will face a court martial on charges of desertion and avoiding military service. He’s the soldier who wandered away from his unit in Afghanistan and was held captive by the Taliban for five years. He was released in a prisoner exchange last year. The Army will also likely charge him with misbehavior before the enemy. The trial will likely take place at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Desertion can carry the death penalty, but the military has not executed anyone in the last half century. (Federal News Radio)

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