Thursday Afternoon Federal Newscast

A House Democrat says the Air Force’s latest attempt to award a troubled $35 billion dollar contract for mid-flight refueling tankers appears “open and less subjective.” John Murtha of Pennsylvania was one of several lawmakers briefed by Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and other Pentagon officials on the latest request for bids – due out Friday – on the tanker competition between Northrop Grumman and Boeing.

Paul Kirk has been named to temporarily fill the seat of the late Senator Edward Kennedy. Kirk is a former Democratic National Committee Chairman and close friend of the late Senator. He will fill the seat until voters in Massachusetts elect a permanent replacement in January. His appointment will restore a 60-seat Senate majority for the Democrats that could help President Barack Obama’s push to overhaul healthcare. (reuters)

SAIC is getting paid to move. In a press release, the Commonwealth of Virginia says it is giving $8.5 million to Science Applications International Corporation to move its headquarters from San Diego to McLean. The federal IT contractor will invest $25 million dollars to complete the move. The public investment is contingent upon SAIC creating 1,200 jobs in Virginia within the next three year

The East Coast soon gets a chance to debate a proposal from the Obama administration that would create a single council to help govern the oceans. The Ocean Policy Task Force is meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, as part of a nationwide listening session. It’s the only stop scheduled on the East Coast. The task force last week recommended creating a new National Ocean Council with the authority to hold accountable a wide range of federal agencies charged with conservation and marine planning. (AP Wires)

Other News Links

Democrats Seek to Tighten Oversight of Surveillance Methods (Washington Post)

GAO says State Department needs to revisit hardship pay (GovExec)

Air traffic controllers approve new contract (GovExec)

DHS considers new structure for EAGLE Ii (FCW)

DoD repurposed IT equipment without scrubbing sensitive info, audit reveals (FCW)

CFC expands online tools (Federal Times)

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