Friday Afternoon Federal Newscast

The White House has told agencies to assume their budgets will be frozen or even cut by 5 percent as it signals a big push to take on the deficit next year. It's part of a White House drive to stem the flood of red ink after a year of stimulus spending aimed at boosting the economy. As record deficits continue, White House budget director Peter Orszag says it's imperative to start curbing the flow of red ink in coming years so as not to erode the fledgling economic recovery. (AP Wires)

The attorney for the Army psychiatrist accused of killing fellow soldiers at Fort Hood says doctors have told the soldier he may be paralyzed from the waist down. Attorney John Galligan told The Associated Press that Major Nidal Malik Hasan told him that he has no feeling in his legs and doctors say the condition may be permanent. Hasan was shot by police officers responding to last week's shootings at Fort Hood. Hasan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the attack at the sprawling Texas post that also left 29 people wounded. (AP Wires)

Federal Aviation Administration officials say they are strengthening procedures for alerting the military when air traffic controllers lose contact with planes. The move comes as a result of the Northwest Airlines plane that overshot Minneapolis last month. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt says air traffic control managers waited 69 minutes after the last contact with Northwest Flight 188 before alerting the military of the problem. He said the guidance to controllers since the 9/11 terrorist attacks has been to alert the military after 10 minutes. Babbitt said the plane was without any radio contact for a total of 77 minutes. He said he wasn't notified until after contact was re-established.

Is the federal government moving to one governmentwide electronic travel system? The General Services Administration's draft statement of work seems to make the case that it is. GSA issued the draft RFP Nov. 6 on Fedbizopps.gov and comments are due Nov. 20. GSA held an industry day Oct. 30. It says it expects to issue a final RFP in January. Read more here.

Other News Links

IT acquisitions present new challenges for Pentagon (GovExec)

Homeland Security CIO reviewing dozens of programs for costs, risks (NextGov)

HHS seeking solutions to address FISMA compliance for health exchange (FCW)

New Zealand launches its version of data.gov (PSNetwork)

Get your act together, Data.gov (Sunlight Labs)