Tuesday Morning Federal Newscast – March 15th

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.

• The House is set to vote today on a measure to cut $6 billion from the government’s budget. The bill is needed to prevent a partial government shutdown when a temporary funding bill expires Friday at midnight. The White House and Republican lawmakers are still trying to work out a longer-term agreement on spending cuts.
• A new report outlines billions in possible savings from cutting the pay and benefits of federal employees, the military and retirees. The Congressional Budget Office report finds the government could save tens of billions of dollars by shaving half a percentage point off across-the-board raises that federal employee receive every year. They also estimated capping military pay raises could cut projected spending some $17.3 billion over 10 years. There are many more CBO recommendations. These are just the latest deficit reduction plans to target federal pay and benefits.
• Financial problems aren’t keeping the Postal Service from offering some raises. The Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union have reached a tentative contract deal that would give 205,000 workers raises, totaling three point five percent, over the next four years. The postal service is working on separate contracts with three other unions.
• Social Security Administration workers are saying goodbye to overtime pay. SSA says it is cancelling overtime for most employees, effective immediately. Federal Times reports the message comes from the agency’s top finance official, deputy commissioner Michael Gallagher. The only exception, Gallagher says, is overtime directly related to life, safety or preservation of property. The agency’s 2011 budget remains in limbo, and officials did not say how long the freeze could last. The American Federation of Government Employees says the decision cancels both paid overtime and comp time, and could mean more claims backlogs and longer wait times for the public.
• At least one Senior Army Official says fixed-price contracting might not be the way to go for the Army. The Obama Administration is pushing for more fixed price contracting. The Office of Management and Budget wants agencies to cut their use of cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, and sole-source award contracts by ten percent. But Federal Times is reporting that Malcolm O’Neill, the Assistant Army Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology believes that contractors intentionally bid high to offset some of their risk. O’Neill told the Professional Services Council that fixed-price usually includes risk, but often the contractor won’t accept that risk, and bids higher.
• Japan’s nuclear crisis becoming more dire this morning after a third explosion rocked a crippled nuclear power plant. Safety officials are working to avoid a complete nuclear meltdown at the seaside Fukushima Daiichi complex. Government officials there tell a U.N. Nuclear watchdog group that radioactive material is leaking into the atmosphere enough to impact human health and that the risk of more leaks is “very high.” Japan has formally asked for assistance from the United States. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission already has two boiling-water reactor experts on the ground. NRC says in a statement it is considering how to provide more help. Meanwhile, The U.S. Geological Survey has upgraded the magnitude of Friday’s deadly earthquake in Japan to 9.0. The death toll from the quake and tsunami is expected to be more than 10,000, as rescue crews continue to search for survivors in the hardest hit coastal cities.
• The federal response to the disaster in Japan is enormous. Federal workers, contractors and vendors are all scrambling to offer help. But the Washington Business Journal reports that one company in particular has helped the world grasp just how horrific the conditions are. GeoEye, based in Dulles, has been supplying snapshots of the devastation to media outlets worldwide. Not only does it give people a better idea of what they’re dealing with in the affected region, but Google has been distributing the images to first responders in Japan to help them do their jobs.
• Flags have been ordered to half staff Tuesday in memory of Army Corporal Frank Woodruff Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I. Buckles was born on February 1, 1901. He lied to enlisting officers, saying that he was 21 when he was only 16 years old. Buckles served as an ambulance driver for the United States Army. Buckles also served in World War II and became a prisoner of war in the Philippines where he was imprisoned for 39 months. President Obama has ordered today, “on the day of his interment, the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on such day. I further direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”

More news links

Calif. official: Tsunami damage upward of $40M

Hawaii tsunami damages jump to tens of millions

Boston conference focuses on military suicides

Petraeus urges non-military funding for Afghan war

Napolitano touts ‘airport checkpoint of tomorrow’

Federal court: Colorado man can sue Secret Service

Space shuttle worker falls to death at launch pad

THIS AFTERNOON ON FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

Coming up today on The DorobekInsider:

** Performance — in these tight budget times, performance becomes even more important. We’ll talk to management experts about a new framework that can help improve your chances at performing.

** And we’ll continue our series talking to the authors of the new book, The Pentagon Labyrinth. Today, a former analyst for the Pentagon about how to fix the problems facing DOD.

Join Chris from 3 to 7 pm on 1500 AM or on your computer.

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