Wednesday Morning Federal Newsstand

Written by Jane Norris & Ruben Gomez Edited by Suzanne Kubota This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED: OPM Director John Berry is changing Human...

Written by Jane Norris & Ruben Gomez
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

OPM Director John Berry is changing Human Resources and he wants your ideas. Government Executive reports that Berry will open OPM’s reorganization plan for public comment online. The plan could affect how you hire and divvy out retirement benefits. No word on when you’ll receive access.

It just takes too long to get a Government job. So Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii is sponsoring a bill that will require agency heads to develop plans that require vacancies be filled in 80 days and mandate that the government rely on resumes and short essays rather than more lengthy ones. It also would require agencies to let job seekers check the progress of their applications.

The White House is asking Federal Agencies to reduce the Government use of outside contractors. The Office of Management and Budget hopes the steps will help save $40 billion dollars each year. The Washington Post reports Department and Agency heads are being told to cut contract spending by 3.5 percent in each of the next two fiscal years. OMB Director Peter Orszag said in a memo to agencies that inherently governmental work should be given back to federal employees.

Federal Agencies have been getting grief about booking their conferences in resort cities like Las Vegas and Orlando, now GovExec reports, lawmakers from those States are fighting back. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, of Nevada sent a letter to agency heads asking them to reverse any policies discriminating against particular cities as conference destinations, saying Vegas is convenient and offers competitive rates for hotels. Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida has proposed legislation to make such policies illegal.

You’re getting a new boss, if you manage information technology at the Department of Homeland Security. Richard Spires will be your e-government fund at the Office of Management and Budget. The chambers will iron out their differences to come up with a final number.

Your Postal Service, or rather its financial condition, has landed on the Government Accountability Office High Risk List. The list highlights federal areas that need to be changed. The Postal Service projects a net loss of $7 billion dollars for fiscal 2009. GAO says the Postal Service needs to come up with long and short-term fixes, like cutting labor costs and consolidating operations.

Lawmakers in Congress want to change how you treat Whistleblowers. A Senate Panel today marks up its version of the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. The House bill would let workers have their case heard in court by a jury of peers. It would also extend protections to all federal employees, including those working in national security.

The Defense Department budgets will stay flat in the future. According to the Defense Department the Pentagon Budget will flatten out in years 2011 through 2015, so new budget priorities set by Defense Secretary Gates will need to be paid for with $60 Billion in budget savings. The Department says its priorities will be set in the Quadrennial Defense Review, the Military’s Five Year Defense Plan.

Other Stories We’re Following

BRAC move to Fort Belvoir will create ‘chaos’ (WTOP.com)

US terror arrests spur warning to police

5 Senate Pages Quarantined In Flu Scare (WashingtonPost)

CDC Chief: Soda Tax Could Combat Obesity (CBSNews)

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