Monday Morning Federal Newscast

Written by Tom Temin & Ruben Gomez
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will look into the quality of agencies’ decisions about bias claims, after a new report revealed that during a five-year period, the percentage of those decisions upheld on appeal declined considerably. GovExec reports complaints of discrimination in the federal sector are investigated initially by officials at the agency where they are filed. Agencies’ decisions can be appealed to EEOC. The percentage of appeals in which EEOC upheld the agency’s decision fell from 80.7 percent in fiscal 2004 to 66.6 percent in fiscal 2008.

Two companies that are practically household names will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation medal from the Obama Administration, according to NextGov. IBM and the founders of Adobe Systems, John Warnock and Charles Geschke, will receive their awards in an October 7 ceremony. NextGov reports, IBM will receive the award for development of its Blue Gene super computer. The Adobe founders created software tools that have become nearly indispensible in many offices.

NASA gears up to write a $4-billion dollar check for contractors who can streamline the agencies IT services. Federal Computer Week reports the move is part of a program to integrate several of NASA’s IT services. Competition could begin as early as Tuesday.

Computer giant dell wants to expand beoynd PCs, so they’re spending $3.6 billion dollars to buy IT services company Perot Systems. DELL will offer $30-dollars per share and expects to CLOSE the deal between November and January. Perot systems offers services for cost-containment and process improvement thru technology.

A new bill would let your agency hire medium or large-sized firms under small business set-asides. GovExec reports the measure from Alabama Congressman Parker Griffith would let incumbents recompete for those contracts even after they’ve outgrown their small business rankings. But, in order to qualify, the companies would need to prove that losing the contracts would push them back into the ranks of small firms.

The head of the FCC plans to propose new rules that would prohibit Internet service providers from interfering with the free flow of information and certain applications over their networks, an official at the agency said Saturday. The Federal Communications Commission chairman, Julius Genachowski, will announce the proposed rules in a speech Monday. Internet providers have opposed regulations that would inhibit the way they control their networks, arguing they need to be able to make sure applications that consume a lot of bandwidth don’t slow Internet access to other users.

The deadly fire at Angeles National Forest is renewing a push from California lawmakers for a national registry of convicted arsonists. Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation Thursday that would establish the registry. It complements a similar bill backed by Reps. Mary Bono Mack, a Republican, and Adam Schiff, a Democrat, which has been in a House Judiciary subcommittee since March.Currently, only three states maintain a database of convicted arsonists: California, Illinois and Montana.

The House is taking up emergency legislation this week help the millions of Americans who see no immediate end to their economic miseries. A bill offered by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., and expected to pass easily would provide 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits for more than 300,000 jobless people who live in states with unemployment rates of at least 8.5 percent and who are scheduled to run out of benefits by the end of September. The 13-week extension would supplement the 26 weeks of benefits most states offer and the federally funded extensions of up to 53 weeks that Congress approved in legislation last year and in the stimulus bill enacted last February.

Tax dodgers who hid assets overseas will get a few extra weeks to apply for an amnesty program that has been flooded with applications ahead of the Wednesday deadline. The Internal Revenue Service plans to announce Monday that the deadline will be extended until Oct. 15, said a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity. More than 3,000 Americans have applied for the program, which promises no jail time and reduced penalties for tax cheats who come forward. Fewer than 100 people apply for the program in a typical year, in part because the penalties can far exceed the value of the hidden account. But in March, the IRS began a six-month amnesty program that sweetened the offer with reduced penalties.

More news links

Spending bill amendment takes aim at ‘czars’ (GovExec)

IRS pays millions in interest for delays in processing high-dollar refunds (NextGov)

Electronic health records open patient privacy questions (FCW)

HHS urged to rework data breach notification rule (NextGov)

Obama: First family to follow rules on flu vaccine

Eastern Arizona residents revel in honor of providing U.S. Capitol Christmas tree (Cronkite News Service)

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