Federal Drive

Thursday Morning Federal Newscast

Written by Tom Temin & Ruben Gomez Edited by Suzanne Kubota This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED: Senators were united in opposition to an in...

Federal News Network Staff

October 15, 2009 8:28 am

3 min read

Written by Tom Temin & Ruben Gomez
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

This morning’s federal news as heard on WFED:

Senators were united in opposition to an increase in the cost of one benefit for federal employees and retirees. In May, the Office of Personnel Management announced that a new seven-year contract with John Hancock Life and Health Insurance Co. for long-term care insurance would result in premium hikes of up to 25 percent for certain enrollees. Sen. Roland Burris proposed legislation to ensure that current enrollees are grandfathered in to the new policy without a rate increase.

Federal retirees and Social Security recipients will not receive a cost-of-living adjustment next year. The Social Security Administration expected to announce the news today, blaming the poor economy and no inflation. It would mark the first year without an increase in Social Security payments since automatic adjustments were adopted in 1975.

Federal cash might be headed for senior citizens, veterans and the disabled. Since they are facing a zero increase in Social Security payments next year, President Obama has asked Congress to provide $250 payments to 50 million recipients. For the average retiree, that would amount to a 2 percent increase in benefits. And maybe provide a shot for the economy.

Your Postal Service shows the way for agencies looking to cut greenhouse gas emissions. They release this morning their first carbon footprint. The report will set a benchmark the agency can work from to slash emissions in the coming years. The White House last week ordered agencies to begin measuring the greenhouse gases they generate from both direct and indirect sources.

The White House proposes two new rules to help you put a finger on underperforming contractors. The first would clamp down on pass-through charges by forcing bidders to identify how much work would go to a subcontractor. The second would limit award fees by linking them to acquisition, cost and performance goals. The proposals were posted in Wednesday’s Federal Register.

The Senate confirms Daniel Werfel to help your agency manage its books as controller at the Office of Management and Budget. During confirmation hearings, Werfel pledged as a priority to help agencies CLOSE their books in a timely manner each year. He’ll also focus on improper payments and on improving federal property management.

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office says the administration’s plans for the Defense Department will take a lot more money than President Obama has requested for 2010. GovExec reports CBO told lawmakers a higher level of spending will be required for the next 18 years. And that doesn’t count war spending. Six percent more money is needed just to cover planned growth in pay and benefits for military and civilian personnel. Plus the Pentagon faces higher operations and maintenance costs to deal with aging equipment.

Today’s the day the first data on how Recovery money has been spent will be made public. The Recovery Board chairman, Earl Devaney, tells FederalNewsRadio that the initial reporting by federal agencies, “went fabulous.” Devaney says that information from 112,000 spending reports will hit the web site, Recovery.gov, today.

The Senate ground to a halt Wednesday as one Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, conducted a 30-hour protest. This was instead of passing a $33.5 billion measure funding energy and water projects. Coburn is upset over the one of his pet ideas was dropped from the bill by Democratic leadership. His amendment was about government transparency. It would have required reports that federal agencies send to the appropriations panels be made available to other lawmakers and to the public.

More news links

Watchdog: Treasury and Fed failed in AIG oversight

Treasury’s top posts stay empty in crisis (WashingtonTimes)

Obama restores federal panel on Asian-Americans

Census 2010 to include outreach in more languages