Thursday Morning Federal Newscast – June 16th

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 government’s labor-management council wants to take a closer look at delinquent agencies. Council members are concerned that some federal agencies are not making the effort to boost communication and collaboration with employees. At the council’s monthly meeting, Obama administration officials said that forums designed to improve the relationship between federal managers and labor representatives were creating meaningful change. But union leaders stressed that many agencies are still not making the cut. OPM director John Berry said OPM will follow up with agencies to let them know where they stand and to engage them in the process.
• The Transportation Security Administration launched a major security exercise Wednesday covering three states and over 5,000 square miles. The TSA teamed up with federal, state and local agencies across Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. The Marietta Times reports the teams included a variety of TSA assets including federal air marshals, canine teams, inspectors and bomb appraisal officers. The exercise also used airborne assets like Blackhawk helicopters, and waterborne teams. The whole exercise was meant to strengthen detection and response. Federal partners in the operation include the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, FBI and Federal Air Marshals.
• LightSquared has been given a two-week extension to report on recent tests that aimed to determine whether its proposed high-speed wireless broadband network would cripple GPS systems around the country. A technical working group created to study the extent of potential interference from LightSquared’s proposed network was to report its findings on Wednesday to the Federal Communications Commission. Mandated by the FCC, the group is controlled by LightSquared but includes representatives from GPS equipment makers and federal agencies that rely on GPS technology. LightSquared asked for an extension to July 1 to file the test results amid growing concern that its proposed network would jam GPS systems used for everything from aviation and military operations to public safety and consumer navigation devices.
• More than 6,000 Maryland-based nonprofits have had their tax-exempt status revoked by the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS says the charities failed to file a return for the past three years. The Baltimore Business Journal reports that nationally, more than a quarter-million charities had their status revoked. The IRS says that many of those organizations are defunct anyway. For those that still exist, the agency has announced special steps to help them apply for reinstatement.
• The Energy Department and Bechtel are facing sharp criticism in a watchdog report. The reports focuses on how safety complaints were handled at a nuclear waste cleanup site in Washington state. The Albany Business Review quotes the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, which says the sudden firing of a contractor who raised safety concerns at the Hanford site sent the wrong message. The board wants Energy Secretary Steven Chu to assert federal control over the site to improve safety. The Hanford site is where the United States made plutonium for atom bombs during the Cold War.
• Wanna save the planet? Soon, there will be an app for that. The Environmental Protection Agency is challenging software developers to create an application using EPA data to highlight environmental issues. The Washington Business Journal reports the EPA will select the winners of the Apps for the Environment contest based on its usefulness, innovation and ability to address the agency’s priorities. Submissions are due by September 16th. The winners will be honored at an event this fall in Washington.

More news links

General Dynamics to close Aberdeen, Md. office

Hackers say they hit CIA website

ATF agents: Border weapons operation a disaster

Boeing: $4 trillion in new aircraft needed by 2030

Obama hosts military dads, kids at White House

Obama hosts lawmakers for annual picnic

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