Thursday Morning Federal Newsstand

Written by Ruben Gomez Edited by Suzanne Kubota This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED: The President’s 2010 budget request would trim or elim...

Written by Ruben Gomez
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

The President’s 2010 budget request would trim or eliminate 121 federal programs. The White House says the reductions will save $17-billion dollars next year. Half of the gains will come from trimming Defense programs, But the total cost of the budget passes $3 trillion dollars. The full 142-page budget has been posted online (pdf).

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis discusses her agency’s budget today in a web chat. It starts at 12:30. And she’s taking questions via e-mail, Twitter and telephone.

OPM director John Berry wants to turn the federal campus at Foggy Bottom into a “utopia” within 12 months! Berry is launching a work-life balance pilot program for the 7,000 federal employees there. Three agencies call the campus home: that’s OPM, the General Services Administration and the Interior Department. Government Executive reports that Berry plans to start by improving the quality of an on-site health clinic.

Paid parental leave advances again in the House. A key panel there has sent the Family and Medical Leave act to the floor for a vote. The bill would provide four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. It would apply to federal and congressional workers. Last year, the House passed a similar measure, but it stalled in the Senate.

The Pentagon plans to hire 20,000 acquisition professionals. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn says its part of his plan to reform military-buying across the board. The plan also includes linking contract fee structures to performance. Lynn testified before the House Armed Services Committee.

Workers at Housing and Urban Development are receiving a new cash incentive to use mass transit. It’s another $110 dollars for public buses and subway systems, like Metro. That’s on top of the $120 they already receive. The money comes from the stimulus bill. And it’s for HUD workers nationwide.

Other Stories We’re Watching:

OPM Releases New Telework Initiative Memo

Senators grill VA’s CIO nominee (FCW)

EXCLUSIVE: Records violations ensnare housing nominee (WashingtonTimes)

U.S. Halts Pilot Program in New York to Detect Biological Attacks (WashingtonPost)

Blackwater era ending in Iraq (CNN)

NASA rescue mission aims to revive Hubble Telescope (USAToday)

Audit: air traffic systems vulnerable to attack

Cisco earnings fall 21 pct but beat expectations

Analysis: Border security move has political angle

Feds to reconsider critical habitat for 2 fish

Report: FBI slow to update terror watchlist

Rice glad to be out of political spotlight (USAToday)

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