Federal Drive

Friday Morning Federal Newscast – June 3rd

Budget cuts hitting State Department hard, USPS offers retirement incentives, Car with \'VBIED\' license plate parks at Pentagon

Federal News Network Staff

June 3, 2011 9:17 am

4 min read

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.

Budget negotiations are taking a toll on the State Department. Its 2011 budget of $48 billion is $8.4 billion less than President Obama requested. Federal Times reports, the House Appropriations Committee plans to slice $11 billion from the Department’s 2012 request. The squeeze has forced hard choices already, according to Jake Sullivan, the director of policy planning.
The IRS commissioner has apologized to three victims of identity theft. They said they’d received rude treatment from IRS workers who were supposed to be helping them. Commissioner Douglas Shulman tells a House hearing, the IRS needs to do better on customer service and in preventing identity theft. A Government Accountability Office investigation found that in 2010, ID thefts hit 250,000 at the IRS. Shulman said the IRS flags fraudulent return when if discovers them. It then gives more scrutiny to future returns under the same Social Security Number.
The U.S Postal Service is offering retirement incentives to some supervisors in seven districts across the nation. Those include districts in the Caribbean, Hawaii and New York Metro areas. USPS says these areas have too many supervisors and not enough placement opportunities. June 30 is the opt-in deadline for optional retirement and voluntary resignation.
Outgoing Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says government workers should set goals so high they have to blow up the system to attain them. In a valedictory speech, Locke said leadership sketches out visionary goals, but should let career workers fill in the details. As an example, Locke cited a 10-month reduction in the approval time for patents. He praised the federal workforce, saying that if government performs well, America performs well. Locke has been nominated to become the ambassador to China. He spoke at a Partnership for Public Service event.
The Labor Department has put out a request for information for a software-as-a-service cloud email solution. The agency listed the RFI on FedBizOpps.gov. It says Labor is looking to take its email services, eDiscovery services, and collaboration services to the cloud. Interested parties can submit their responses via email until 3:00 p.m. (EST) on June 13.It’s just one of the growing number of agencies looking to the cloud for its email services. A recent report from the CIO Council, shows 13 agencies (including Labor) currently using the cloud or planning to use the cloud for email.
The White House wants to invest $100 million to help the Transportation Department develop wireless apps. It’s part of a new plan called Wireless Innovation or WIN for Transportation. Information Week reports, the proposed apps would help with emergency preparedness and response, and allow for internet access in remote locations. They also hope to deliver greater authentication security for mobile devices. Transportation has put out a Request For Information on some of the app ideas and services it hopes to develop.
Ted Kaczynski will never get out of federal prison. Even if he was released, the infamous unabomber would have literally nothing to go home to. That’s because all of his personal effects have been auctioned off by the Federal Marshals Service, assisted by the General Services Administration. Marshal Albert Najero tells Federal News Radio, the auction was an unusual step. But it netted close to $200,000. Proceeds will be distributed to the unabomber’s victims. Kaczynski was pursued by the FBI for 18 years. His brother eventually tipped off authorities. He pleaded guilty to numerous charges in 1998 and was sentenced to live in prison without parole.