Monday Morning Federal Newstand

Written by Ruben Gomez and Tom Temin
Edited by Emily Jarvis

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

The House has left for recess, but the Senate is still around this week and both chambers are concentrating on health care overhaul. The House has to reconcile three versions that have been voted out of committees. The Senate is still deep in compromise negotiations. A bipartisan group of six senators, led by Finance Chairman Max Baucus of Montana has been meeting almost every day but has reached little agreement.

Now there’s word the stimulus bill might be used to help cut health care costs. Federal health agencies want to grant stimulus funds for researchers to study the effectiveness of drugs and other medical treatments. This plan was to Congress by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health. Wall Street Journal reports, the Obama administration has already said it would like to see stimulus funds help doctors and patients choose less expensive treatments.

Clinton to tackle African trouble spots The Army wants to be as good as WalMart when it comes to moving and accounting for billions worth of materiel it moves around the world. It has announced contracts worth more than $418 million what one contractor has called the “most sophisticated supply chain system.” The system will use bar codes, radio ID and other high-tech methods to keep track of millions of items. The new system should help DOD with the complex task of removing military equipment from Iraq.

The federal government sometimes pays performance bonuses to contractors who don’t perform so well. Today the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee take a look at how agencies can stop this wasteful practice. A hearing has been called by Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware. Among the offending agencies are NASA, and the departments of Homeland Security Department, Energy and Health and Human Services.

Be careful of hand sanitizer, some of them could make your hands even dirtier. Officers of the U.S. Marshals Service have seized all skin sanitizers including the ingredients and bottles, used by the manufacturer Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory. The Food and Drug Administration said issued a warning public Saturday that the products themselves may contain harmful bacteria. The company has recalled affected packages.

Some 4,000 soldiers have been killed in eight years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. And 34,000 been wounded. Yet only six have been considered by military brass for nation’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor. Some in Congress want to know why so few. Representative Duncan Hunter of California sponsored legislation asking the Defense Secretary to look into it. Pentagon officials say it’s because the nature of war has changed and there are fewer opportunities to earn the medal.

The Army today launches an advertising campaign to recruit officers. That’s a first for the army. New York Times reports that after three straight years of growth the Army is getting bottom heavy with lots of young recruits not enough officers to lead them. The ads are specially made to appeal to college graduates who could qualify for officer training programs.

Other Stories We’re Following

LaHood: Car rebates will stop unless Senate acts

White House Flags Jobs, Deficit Concerns

Federal IT spending to increase modestly thanks to cloud computing

Clinton to tackle African trouble spots

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.