Tuesday federal headlines – June 30, 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 Office of Personnel Management has temporarily shut down a database used to update and store background investigation records. The agency said it found a flaw that leaves the system vulnerable to more cyberattacks. The database is known as e-QIP, short for Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing. It was not one of the systems breached by hackers. An OPM spokesman said the closure is a proactive step. The agency expects to reopen e-QIP within four to six weeks. Until then, it will be harder for agencies to begin or renew investigations. OPM said the government can still hire people for jobs that require clearances and, in some cases, give them interim clearances. (Federal News Radio)

• The American Federation of Government Employees is suing the government over the data breaches at the Office of Personnel Management that have put millions of federal employees in danger. The labor union said OPM was negligent. The agency knew for years that its data systems were not secure enough, yet it failed to fix the problems. The suit names OPM, its director Katherine Archuleta and its chief information officer Donna Seymour. It also names Keypoint Government Solutions, an OPM contractor. The suit said an earlier hack of Keypoint let the attackers get credentials that they used to penetrate OPM’s personnel and security-clearance databases. AFGE is seeking monetary damages and more extensive credit-monitoring for victims. OPM has offered 18 months. (Federal News Radio)

• The State Department finished repairs on a system that issues work visas around the world. Spokesman Mark Toner said all U.S. consulates are back online, following a two-week shutdown. A hardware failure caused the department to stop issuing visas. Toner said that in the past week, State issued more than 400,000 visas. That includes the H2 documents required by farmers to bring in temporary seasonal labor. Toner said State Department staff worked weekends to process a backlog that built up during the shutdown. (State Department)

• The Export-Import Bank will expire tonight at midnight, at least temporarily. It will be the first time since the independent agency was created during the Depression. It will continue to service the loans it has outstanding, but won’t be able to take on new business. The Ex-Im provides loan guarantees to fund exports of U.S products. Congressional Republicans said it amounts to corporate welfare. Supporters said they have enough votes to reauthorize it when Congress returns after the July 4 recess. (Federal News Radio)

• Military space planners worry what to do next following Sunday’s explosion of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Defense News reports it could take 18 months or longer for the company to investigate the cause and try again. That gives a big advantage to United Launch Alliance, the Boeing-Lockheed competitor. That worry surfaced in April, when it was voiced at a symposium by Gen. John Hyten, head of the Air Force Space Command. Hyten said  that while he wants the launch market to stay competitive, he wouldn’t risk a $1 billion satellite atop an iffy rocket. He worries SpaceX could go out of business while United Launch Alliance stays operational. The Air Force approved SpaceX for national security launches earlier this year. (Defense News)

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement will begin treating detainees based on the gender with which they identify. A new agency policy said staff should consider transgender detainees’ preferences when making decisions about housing, clothing and which pronouns to use. ICE will track data on transgender detainees. It will draft plans for each individual that takes into account issues from safety to hormone therapy. Advocates said transgender people should not be detained period because they face increased risk of harm in the centers. The Justice Department issued similar rules three years ago for transgender inmates. The ACLU said they haven’t taken hold in many jails and prisons. (Federal News Radio)

• A fifth submarine sailor has pleaded guilty to videotaping female officers while they were showering. The scandal aboard the USS Wyoming has disrupted the Navy’s integration of women into its submarine force. Seven sailors in all face charges in the case. Navy prosecutors said the men traded the illicit videos “like Pokémon cards” for items like energy drinks. The women in the videos were among the first to serve on subs. In court testimony, they said the incident derailed their military careers. Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Secrest will spent 10 months in a Navy brig. He received a bad conduct discharge and a reduction in rank. (Federal News Radio)

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