Federal Drive

Friday Morning Federal Newscast

Written by Ruben Gomez & Tom Temin Edited by Suzanne Kubota This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED: People all over the U.S. remember this eigh...

Federal News Network Staff

September 11, 2009 8:17 am

3 min read

Written by Ruben Gomez & Tom Temin
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

People all over the U.S. remember this eighth anniversary of the September 11th attacks today with acts of service. This is the first time the anniversary has been declared a National Day of Service. In Washington, President Obama will meet with family of the dozens killed at the Pentagon. Vice President Joe Biden attends a memorial at the World Trade Center site in New York. And Former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks at a ceremony near Shanksville, Pennsylvania where one of four hijacked jetliners crashed.

Federal agencies get a new watchdog to keep tabs on rulemaking. The Senate has confirmed Cass Sunstein to lead the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. In that job, Sunstein will oversee the effectiveness of federal regulations. Sunstein is a Harvard Law School professor and has worked for the Department of Justice.

Collective bargaining takes a step closer to the nation’s airport screeners. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has approved a bill that would let Transportation Security Administration form collective bargaining contracts with management, reports GovExec. The bill would also scrap TSA’s pay-for-performance system, moving workers into the General Schedule. It now moves to the full House floor for a vote.

The economic stimulus bill is attracting crooks. Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, told a Senate panel yesterday that hundreds of thousands of Americans may have been ripped off by con artists who promise easy government money. Banking on publicity over the multi billion dollar economic recovery bill, con artists run ads on web sites and through e-mail that offer guarantees of free federal money. The FTC has launched Operation Short Change, a law enforcement sweep aimed at stimulus crooks.

Trouble for an Obama administration plan to spread broadband internet access to all parts of the country. Lawmakers are complaining that the rules leave out too much of the country, reports NextGov. Congressman Rick Boucher of Virginia points out, nearly all of the rural East Coast is ineligible for the big grants because rules disqualify areas too close to cities. So far, the government has received more than 2,000 applications for broadband grants, requesting $28 billion. But the program only has $4 billion to give out. Grants and loans will be awarded in November.

The National Institutes of Health will kick off a test in the next few weeks to see whether citizens could use commercial online accounts, such as Yahoo or Google, to sign up for government services. Right now, federal agencies require people to set up separate accounts. Federal chief information officer Vivek Kundra says the goal is for the government to do away with the need for multiple usernames and passwords just to sign up for benefits or services, such as reserving a camp site or obtaining a fishing license in a federal park.

Ever wonder about that tank truck hurtling around the Beltway, and whether it’s safe? Hazardous transportation is regulated by a federal agency called the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. But Congressional investigators are saying the agency is too cozy with hazardous materials shippers. They told lawmakers yesterday, the agency routinely grants waivers of transport rules without finding out whether the shippers actually operate safely.

More news links

EXCLUSIVE: Forest fire funds aid D.C. festivals (WashingtonTimes)

Federal CTO says open government directive imminent (NextGov)

White House ‘Reality Check’ site falls short (NextGov)

Sweeping Rahall Bill Would Overhaul Federal Oil and Gas Leasing, Royalties (NYTimes)

Geithner: Confidence has returned to markets

Growth of gov’t insurance outpaces private care

Obama to give speech Monday on financial crisis

Police: Armed man arrested during Obama address

Bay reports call for more livestock regulations

Perry: Ranger teams to go to Texas-Mexico border

Top US copyright cop opposes Google book deal