The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Contractor Misconduct Database tracks contract fraud, environmental issues, ethics and labor violations. The top 100 contractors received $296 billion dollars in awards last year, more than half of the government’s contract spending total.
Workers at the Department of Homeland Security enjoy their jobs, but they have problems with management. Respondents to an internal survey say they’re skeptical about a link between performance and incentives. Just 3-in-10 agree that promotions are based on merit. And a number express concerns about favoritism. But Homeland Security’s new management chief Rafael Borras, cited in Government Executive, says the results are an improvement. The survey covered nearly 68,000 employees and was conducted late last year.
The Pentagon official in charge of the wounded warrior program has resigned. In an e-mail, Noel Koch said Sunday he was asked to quit by Clifford Stanley, the undersecretary of defense for personnel. Koch had been the deputy undersecretary of defense for wounded warrior care and transition policy. A Pentagon spokesman said Koch’s dismissal was one of several planned changes, as the military tries to overhaul care for troops injured in combat. Koch said he believes his dismissal was unfair, and his resignation decision made under duress.
Sen. Tom Coburn wants more information from the Office of Personnel Management on a planned marketing campaign to polish the public image of federal employees. The Federal Times reports that Coburn sent a letter to OPM Director John Berry asking how much he plans to spend on the rebranding effort that was announced April 19, why it is necessary and what he hopes the campaign will achieve. According to Mr. Berry, OPM is surveying liberal and conservative citizens to find out their impressions of federal workers and the issues that are important to them. OPM will use that data to create a new marketing campaign
The fiscal 2011 budget resolution marches forward. The Senate Budget Committee approved the measure on Thursday. The bill contains an amendment that would require 80 percent of savings from reconciliation instructions to go toward deficit and debt reduction. Next stop for the resolution is the Senate floor. But Congress Daily reports when that happens is unknown. Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad says that’s because he’s not sure how long it will take the Senate to pass legislation for financial reform.
Senate sponsors of climate change legislation put their bill on hold over the weekend. That’s because a move by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to move immigration reform to the top of the stack threatened to unravel a bipartisan effort behind the climate bill. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry said he’ll postpone unveiling comprehensive energy and climate change legislation that had been scheduled for today. Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina threatened to withhold support for the Kerry bill if Democratic leadership pushes ahead first with an immigration bill.
With just days left before the final mail-in deadline, just under three-fourths of U.S. households have returned their census forms. The Census Bureau adds that many fast-growing states in the South and West still lag. As of Friday afternoon, 86 million households had mailed back their forms, a return rate of 72 percent. Starting May 1, 600,000 census workers will fan out across the country to knock on the doors of those who did not respond by mail. Census Director Robert Groves will join us Wednesday here on the Federal Drive with a detailed update on progress of the 2010 count.
Support for the food safety bill is now slowing. The food industry and major business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, reports the Washington Post, are threatening to withdraw support for the bill because they are upset by a proposed amendment that would ban bisphenol-A, the controversial chemical found in food and beverage containers. The Senate version of legislation passed overwhelmingly by the House last year. It is designed to give the Food and Drug Administration vast new regulatory authority over food production and place greater responsibility on manufacturers and farmers to produce food free from contamination. The bispenhol-A provision was added by Senator Dianne Feinstein.
More news links
Military cancels nuclear attack test (WashingtonTimes)
Google a top contender in race to service feds (WashingtonBusinessJournal)
Dr. George Apostolakis Sworn in as Newest NRC Commissioner (NRC PressRelease)
SEC porn peekers at work confess (WashingtonTimes)
Fort Campbell tries to stop soldier suicides
Fort Detrick to LEED-certify construction (Frederick News-Post on WTOP)
Navy to name next ship after late Rep. John Murtha
Alaska dog honored for leading troopers to fire
Tigers, Tennis, iPods and Bo: Inside the White House (NYDailyNews)
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