Tuesday Morning Federal Newsstand

Written by Ruben Gomez
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

Your Thrift Savings Plan is working on a major spruce-up of its website. TSP management tells us the redesign will make it easier for you to access your account and find important information. The Thrift Investment Board plans to randomly choose 5,000 participants to test the site in September. The TSP site hasn’t had a major upgrade since its 1997 launch.

The EPA has published new energy ratings for computer servers. Machines that use 30-percent less power than standard systems will now be worthy of the Energy Star label. EPA says the new specifications could save $800-million dollars per year nationwide and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equal to those generated by more than 1 million vehicles.

The Army pulls the trigger on its $160-Billion dollar modernization program known as Future Combat Systems. They’ve decided to implement the high-tech fighting tools service-wide. All 73 combat brigades will be included. Originally the Army had planned to field the tools in just 15 brigades. The program includes network connected robots and precision missiles. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the deployment will be gradual.

The FDA gets its new leader. The Senate has confirmed Dr. Margaret Hamburg to run that agency. Hamburg is a Harvard-trained doctor and former New York City health commissioner. She has pledged to restore confidence in the FDA after accusations that the agency placed politics ahead of science under President Bush. The agency has ALSO taken heat for its response to food contamination and drug safety problems.

Other Stories We’re Following

Obama’s CTO pick faces queries on Va. outsourcing pacts (ComputerWorld)

Gimme My Discount! (GovExec)

© 2009? Wishful Thinking, Perhaps, as Backlog Mounts (WashingtonPost)

Breach of Trust: Fake Diplomas Found at U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command (WHNT News)

Prospect of Gitmo prisoners in US stokes fears

Post office has cut 25,000 jobs this year

Latest quake highlights Los Angeles seismic danger

President Garfield statue decapitated (UPI)

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