Navy opening its bases to commercial wireless providers

In today's Top Federal Headlines, DoD asks Congress for supplemental funds to keep 3,000 troops in Afghanistan, and The Navy opens its bases to commercial wirel...

The Federal Headlines is a daily compilation of the stories you hear discussed on  Federal Drive with Tom Temin.

  • The Navy is opening its bases to commercial wireless providers, hoping to do its part to speed up broadband deployments across the country. In a new directive, the Navy Department told base commanders to begin granting easements so wireless companies can build towers and other broadband infrastructure on Navy and Marine Corps bases, and also laid out a process to get new towers up and operating within one year. Officials said until now, the arduous permitting and contracting procedures have taken up to five years. Besides complying with a White House order directing the use of federal facilities to expand broadband coverage, the Navy thinks the new towers will give its own personnel better access to cutting edge communications services.
  • The Defense Department has considered asking Congress for supplemental funds to pay for 3,000 extra troops in Afghanistan through 2017. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Congress would need to authorize a new fund to pay for the troops to keep the government from going over the spending caps set by the 2015 budget deal. (Federal News Radio)
  • The House has passed four Homeland Security-related bills. One would require DHS to develop exercises that evaluate how prepared the nation is against foreign fighters on U.S. soil. Another requires the Transportation Security Administration to update its risk assessments of airports and report plans to boost safety. (Homeland Security Committee)
  • Veterans Affairs wants to make it easier accept donations to its national cemeteries. An amended rule proposal would let the Under Secretary of Memorial Affairs solicit gifts to beautify the burial grounds. The final rule would go into effect in September. (Federal Register)
  • The IRS has taken credit for wisely spending the extra $290 million it got from Congress. Statistics show its call centers answered twice as many phone calls from taxpayers during the 2016 filing season as the year before. Taxpayers waited an average 11 minutes to speak with a service rep compared to 23 minutes in 2015. House appropriators would give the IRS $236 million less next year. (Federal News Radio)
  • GSA has put out a help wanted sign for its new technology service. The General Services Administration wants a senior executive to lead the effort to dramatically improve the public’s experience with the government. GSA is seeking a commissioner for its new Technology Transformation Service. TTS, which includes the 18F and Presidential Innovation Fellows programs, has a goal to help agencies build, buy, and share technology that lets them better serve the public. The job opening comes just two months after GSA launched TTS. Phaedra Chorous, the first TTS Commissioner, is leaving in mid-July. Resumes are due July 25. (USA Jobs)
  • The Defense Department is going commercial for its cloud computing requirements. It opened bidding for a $500 million contract to replace the “milCloud” service. The first phase of milCloud 2.0 would be operated by a vendor, but be physically housed inside DoD data centers in Oklahoma City and Montgomery, Alabama. Bids are due August 8.
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection has deployed its Mobile Passport Control test program to Washington Dulles International. Travelers entering the U.S. can use the smartphone app instead of paper forms for their declarations before they land. Dulles International is the 14th airport to join the pilot. CBP officials expect the program to expand to 20 airports by the end of 2016. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
  • The Postal Service has reached agreement with one of its biggest craft unions. The deal is the result of arbitration. It gives 200,000 members of the American Postal Workers Union a 3.8 percent raise over 40 months. One 1.2 percent is effective immediately, retroactive to last November. Non-career Postal Support Employees get raises of 50 cents per hour. The APWU retains its no-layoffs provision. Several job categories become all career instead of contracted. (American Postal Workers Union)

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Related Stories