Thursday Morning Federal Newscast

Written by Jane Norris & Phil Vogel
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

Homeland Security will have a new headquarters soon. DHS broke ground at the former St Elizabeth’s psychiatric hospital in Southeast Washington. The renovation is the largest Federal Building project since the Pentagon was built. The new site will house nearly 14,000 DHS employees and is scheduled for completion in 2016.

It looks like the District of Columbia government may get a shot at some of the land from the soon-to-be-vacated Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the future. The Washington Business Journal reports that both the State Department and the General Services Administration won’t need all the land they requested. The Journal reports that the Army is now working with the DC government to come up with a development proposal for the remaining Walter Reed land. That plan is expected sometime by the end of next year.

The White House has given 10 more ethics waivers to administration officials to clear up any potential conflicts of interest, according to GovExec. The Executive Order on Ethics for Executive Branch Personnel that President Obama signed as one of his first acts in office says appointees cannot work on any issue directly related their former jobs within a 2 year period. The White House already disclosed six ethics waivers for agency or White House officials bringing the total number to 16.

A new Labor Department report identifies more than 58 countries where child labor or forced labor is used to make hundreds of goods. From Colombian coffee to Chinese Christmas decorations that end up being sold in the United States. The government wants American companies and consumers to know about the chance these products are made under conditions in which children and other workers are exploited and abused. While the Labor Department cannot stop private companies from buying products made with child or forced labor, it can prevent the federal government from purchasing the goods

Economic activity is stabilizing or improving in the vast majority of the country, according to a new government survey, adding to evidence that the worst recession since the 1930s is over. The Federal Reserve’s snapshot of economic conditions backs up predictions by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke that the economy has started to grow again in the current quarter. In the beige book released this week the economy showed positive signs all but one of the Fed’s 12 regions. The one exception was the St Louis region, which continued to report that the pace of decline in economic activity appeared to be “moderating.”

Despite the news from the Federal Reserve job openings fell to the lowest level in nine years in July, according to the Labor Department. As businesses remain reluctant to hire despite signs the economy is improving. Still, jobs are being added in some sectors, as companies seek more health care, technology and child care workers.The report underscores the tough competition that jobless Americans face. With 14.5 million unemployed people in July and only 2.4 million openings, that means there were six unemployed people, on average, for every job opening.

U.S. Mint will roll out national park quarters beginning in 2010. They will feature a national park or other site from each state and US Territory. The quarters will be issued in the order that the parks and sites were established as national sites so the first will be Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. The front of the coin will still feature George Washington. Maryland’s Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine will roll out in 2013.

More news links

Congressman wants all ‘czars’ to testify (TheHill)

Sunstein One Step Closer to Confirmation (OMBWatch)

US maritime agency warns ships of increased piracy

Report: Gov’t agency waives rules for shippers

Former VOA official pleads not guilty

Space shuttle and crew aim for Thursday landing

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