Monday federal headlines – March 10, 2014

The Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp discuss throughout the show each day. The Newsc...

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Emily Kopp 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.

  • In conjunction with the budget release, the Defense Department unveils the Quadrennial Defense Review. The document outlines the department’s top-level global strategy every four years and what’s ahead in decades to come. Chairman of the Armed Services Committee Buck McKeon thinks this QDR withholds information from key stakeholders and faults it as purely budget-driven. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, responded saying the document builds upon an interim round of cutbacks — the Defense Strategic Guidance, part of the 2012 budget — which is why the content appears less detailed. Dempsey says the QDR’s foundation is relevant because the themes and principle mission are current and long-term. (Federal News Radio)
  • Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel tells Congress, the Pentagon proposes no changes to military retirement in its fiscal 2015 budget. But on the same day, Military Times reports, the Pentagon considers plans to wean service members off of its fixed-income pension plan. Instead, the military would offer a three-part combo. It would include something like a 401K plus a cash-retention bonus at around 12 years and possibly another payout upon retirement for those who stay in the military for decades. (Military Times)
  • The Navy has dispatched a missile destroyer from San Diego and aircraft from Okinawa to search for a missing Malaysia Airlines jet. They are among dozens of ships and aircraft looking for any sign of the plane that disappeared in midair with 239 people aboard. Accident investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board, the FAA and Boeing are involved in the rescue effort. Investigators say they’re pursuing “every angle” to explain the jet’s disappearance more than two days ago. Attention is focused on how two passengers boarded the aircraft with stolen passports. (Defense Department)
  • Veterans are less satisfied than their colleagues at federal agencies. That’s surprising, considering agencies’ aggressive attempts to hire more veterans. Office of Personnel Management data shows vets are more critical of their supervisors. They are more likely to say their managers do not communicate well. And they don’t have as much faith that promotions are based on merit. A Pentagon spokesman says beware of generalizing veterans’ individual experiences from the statistics. But human resources experts say a five-point difference in some categories is reason for concern. (Federal News Radio)
  • One department might be failing to appropriately monitor foreign students who stay and work in the U.S. for up almost two and a half years, according to a Government Accountability Office report. Sen. Chuck Grassley requested the investigation. He says that the lack of oversight is a potential national security risk. 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon explosions have put more scrutiny on foreign students. Grassley says the program “requires immediate overhaul before another terrorist exploits it.” GAO recommends that Immigration and Customs Enforcement use all available information to address potential risks. Homeland Security agrees with the recommendations and says ICE is working with the Counterterrorism and Criminal Investigation Unit to find any risk areas. (Associated Press)
  • Sequestration cost $80.5 billion dollars year. The tally comes from the Government Accountability Office, which cautions that the government lost even more money if you count potential tax revenue that went uncollected. Investigators looked at the impact of the law on 23 agencies. Nearly all chose to cut performance awards, employee travel and training and slow down hiring. Most reduced overtime. Inspectors general reviewed fewer cases. But GAO says it’s hard to pin down why agencies curtailed some programs and preserved others. It says the Office of Management and Budget should publish those details and should tell agencies to document their decisions because they might need that information in the future. (Government Accountability Office)
  • Intelligence officials plan to track every move that employees and contractors with secret clearances make. They say an electronic monitoring system would tap into several databases to scan for suspicious behavior. Sources would include private credit agencies, law enforcement databases and threat lists, military records, licenses and the like. The system would do random spot checks, looking for unusual behavior. It draws on something the Defense Department has spent more than a decade developing. Government employee unions warn continuous monitoring could intrude into individuals’ private lives, prompt flawed investigations and put personal data at greater risk. (Associated Press)
  • President Obama plans to expand the California Coastal National Monument to include lands on the Mendocino County coast. A White House official expects the formal announcement Tuesday. Proponents say the protected land will raise the profile of the area and provide a much needed economic boost. The expansion protects 1,600 acres of federal land. The President will bypass Congress with the measure, which follows his State of the Union goal to create more national parks. Congress passed its first wilderness bill in five years this month, but stalls on many other public lands legislation. (Associated Press)

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