Friday Morning Federal Newsstand

Written by Ruben Gomez & Tom Temin Edited by Suzanne Kubota This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED: A new union contract may pave smoother runw...

Written by Ruben Gomez & Tom Temin
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

A new union contract may pave smoother runways between air traffic controllers and FAA managers. The tentative deal between FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association addresses conflicts over pay and vacation time. Relations have been strained between the two groups for years, since their last agreement expired in 2005. Union members have 45 days to approve the new contract.

If you’re in the business of protecting federal networks, Homeland Security wants to give you a wiki boost. The Department has announced plans to set up a so-called “cyber ops wiki” to improve interagency collaboration on cybersecurity. It’s not available yet, but Homeland Security is reaching out to contractors, according to FCW.

The Army is using new media to let people collaborate in rewriting its seven field manuals. It’s a sharp break from tradition, the New York Times reports. Now anyone from the Privates to the Generals can go online and collaboratively join the rewrite effort. The project uses the same software as Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. The goal is to tap a wider range of experience that the Army has traditionally used for its field manuals.

Bad news for veterans hoping to enroll in college this fall with benefits from the New GI Bill. Sources tell NextGov, the VA won’t be able to process a backlog of applications in time. That means the schools don’t get paid, or the vets can’t enroll. VA has a backlog of 200,000 education benefits claims. And only three weeks to go before classes start.

The loud health care debate has a casualty: Congressional Web sites. So much e-mail has been flooding Congress, that it overloaded the primary Web site in the House of Representatives. Tech support had to warn staff that the site, house.gov, may be slow or unresponsive.

The White House is asking citizens to become e-mail spammers. Trying to regain control of the health care debate, Obama aide David Axelrod sent White House e-mail recipients a message that counters online criticism of the health care reform plan. “So let’s start a chain e-mail of our own,” he said, asking people to forward his e-mail.

The Obama administration’s waived entrance fees to national parks on three weekends this summer, but that hasn’t meant much more traffic. Washington Post reports, parks are seeing small increases in visitors but not much more in the of concession and lodging sales and lodging. The President visits Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon this weekend to promote the free entrance program.

Other Stories We’re Following

NASA’s Trajectory Unrealistic, Panel Says (WashingtonPost)

DISA director emphasizes contractor workforce importance (FCW)

Daley demands Obama take a pay cut (ChicagoSunTimes)

Federal Civilian Employment by Major Geographic Area, State, and Selected Agency (OPM factsheet)

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