Monday Morning Federal Newscast – November 29th

The Morning Federal Newscast is a daily compilation of the stories you hear Federal Drive hosts Tom Temin and Amy Morris discuss throughout the show each day. The Newscast is designed to give FederalNewsRadio.com users more information about the stories you hear on the air.

• President Obama’s bipartisan fiscal commission faces a deadline this week to reach an agreement on the federal budget deficit, and military health care may be on the chopping block. Three quarters of the military’s 4.5 million retirees and their families have access to health insurance through a civilian employer or group, but more than two million of them stay on the military’s lifetime plan, Tricare. The New York Times reports Defense Secretary Robert Gates has met with the commission and is considering whether to ask for Tricare fee increases next year.
• In the latest effort to curb costs, USPS will reevaluate executive compensation. Outgoing U.S. Postmaster General recently informed Postal Service executives that future salary increases and bonuses will depend on the agency’s financial health, the Washington Times reports. USPS earlier this month reported an eight-point-five billion dollar loss for 2010. Potter will retire at the end of this week.
• More than a dozen companies have lobbied Congress for a food-safety bill and they’re about to see if their work pays off. The Senate is set to vote on a food-safety bill that is different from the version approved last year in the House of Representatives. Key differences include: Inspections every three years instead of annually. No fee, instead of a $500 annual fee to offset costs. And allowing the government to order a recall of harmful products after an informal hearing, instead of before a hearing. USA Today reports consumer advocate groups credit food companies with helping to make the $1.4 billion measure one of the few bills moving quickly through Congress during the lame duck session.
• A former National Security Agency employee is accused of mishandling classified information. Thomas Drake is charged with leaking classified information to a newspaper. It is a rare case because he’s accused of violating espionage laws but is not accused of spying. His supporters claim he’s being punished for blowing the whistle on inefficiencies and mismanagement at the NSA. Federal prosecutors want Drake’s lawyers to disclose the names of their expert consultants months before trial. They say that’s a necessary step if the experts want access to classified information. But Drake’s lawyers contend they don’t have to share the names of their experts unless they plan to have the experts testify. They argue that sharing the names would compromise their trial strategy. The hearing is scheduled for this afternoon.
• The Postal Service Inspector General is conducting an audit of its database that tracks USPS cyber incidents. The review is to determine if the information collected is reliable, and is expected to take three to six months. NextGov reports, the USPSOIG’s office says the audit is being done after a renewed call from the White House for agencies to strengthen their cybersecurity.
• The United States is “very committed” to begin drawing down its forces in Afghanistan in July. But Navy Admiral Mike Mullen tells CNN that large numbers of troops will remain. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says that any drawdown will be based on conditions on the ground, and that it is too soon to know the numbers of troops and locations the drawdown will affect first. Mullen also says reconciliation talks with the Taliban must be done from a position of strength, and that any talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government right now are just talks about talks. Still, he says reconciliation is a very important process for Afghanistan, and when that can happen, political progress will follow.
• A South Korean military official says that forces on the front-line island bombarded by North Korea last week will conduct new live-fire artillery drills there tomorrow. Officials on the island have warned residents in public address announcements to take shelter tomorrow morning. An official at the South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says artillery rounds will be fired into the water and not toward North Korea. South Korea launched live artillery drills from the island on Nov. 23, and North Korea cited them as the reason for its deadly bombardment later in the day that killed four South Koreans. The artillery drills Tuesday are not connected with joint South Korean-U.S. drills taking place further south.

More news links

Lawmakers return to Capitol to clean up leftovers

US tries to contain damage from leaked cables

Pentagon details security changes prompted by leak

USDA asked to approve GMO apple that won’t brown

Comcast: Internet service restored after regional outage (BaltimoreSun)

THIS AFTERNOON ON FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

Coming up today on The DorobekInsider:

** You’ve heard of YouTube — but have you heard of MilTube? Similar idea — share videos — but do it securely. We’ll find out why they need a separate platform.

** Could you be fired for what you post on Facebook? We’ll talk to an attorney about what you need to watch out for.

** And we’ll get an update on your TSP from the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.

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