Thursday Morning Federal Newscast – Nov. 18th

Postmaster Potter due $5.5 million in exit pay, DHS gives Boeing\'s SBInet 30 more days

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.

  • Postmaster General John Potter could get about $5.5 million in deferred compensation, retirement benefits, and accrued annual leave – for the rest of his life – when he retires next month. The Washington Post reports that Potter is also eligible for up to two years of outplacement assistance and could also keep getting health care insurance from the Postal Service for up to a year after he leaves. That package includes: payouts from about $1.3 million made in his USPS pension benefit, and more than $3 million in benefits through the Civil Service Retirement System. Neither the Postal Service, nor the labor unions, had any comment on Potter’s retirement package.
  • Federal agencies are hiring people more quickly. Housing and Urban Development says it’s reduced hiring time to 76 days. The Pentagon says it can now hire someone in 79 days. They join a small handful of agencies and departments that have met President Obama’s goal of 80 days. The numbers come in a progress report sponsored by OPM.
  • The government will work on a “virtual fence” along the US-Mexico border for at least another 30 days. Marketplace reports a Department of Homeland Security contract with Boeing had been set to expire yesterday but has been extended through December 18th. Boeing has been developing the problematic SBInet program on parts of the southern Arizona border since 2006.
  • Retired officers who consult with the Pentagon will have to disclose their employers, earnings and and stocks they own. The Defense Department had been shielding information about some of the retirees it retains under its senior mentors program. Federal Times reports, Assistant Defense Secretary William Lynn has ordered *all* mentors to be subject to disclosure. Until now, disclosure only applied to consultants making more than $119,000 per year. USA Today earlier this year found that eight in ten consulting generals also had ties to the defense industry. Some worked for contractors full time while also mentoring at the Pentagon.
  • The Food and Drug Administration could get the power to force food recalls under a bill close to Senate passage. Senators closed debate yesterday, and a final vote is expected today. FDA would also have more power to set standards for food manufacturers. Plus, it would get the resources to track fruit and vegetable shipments. The House passed a similar bill last year. The Wall Street Journal reports, lawmakers said they don’t think there’s time in the lame duck session for the two bills to be reconciled. One snag might be an amendment to exempt small farms and food processors.
  • A battle starts for Democratic leadership of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich is running against New York Congressman and current chairman Edolphus Towns for the ranking member post. Kucinich says that he’ll challenge presumed chair Darrel Issa at every turn in the next Congress. And GovExec reports that he wants to fight against efforts that he says would undermine the House through a lack of restraint and the use of subpoena power.
  • If you’re waiting for the blue ribbon commission on the financial crisis to deliver its final report, don’t hold your breath. The commission voted to give itself a six-week extension, past the original due date of December 15. The Wall Street Journal reports, the delay might be because commissioners are still arguing about what their conclusions should be. The panel consists of six Democrats and four Republicans. Its charter is to determine the causes of the financial sector crisis that hit in 2008. Three Republicans voted against delaying the report.
  • Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill introduces a bill to end special preferences for Alaska native corporations in government contracting. McCaskill, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight, says the program is ineffective and that only a small portion of profits are reaching native Alaskans. She also says that a probe of hiring practices uncovered evidence of abuse and waste.
  • New airport security measures are drawing a huge backlash, but at least one Senator is happy she can go through body-scanners instead of getting up close and personal with TSA employees. Senator Claire McCaskill said that she’s very exited that the can choose a machine instead of, “getting my dose of love pats,” reports FoxNews. At a Capitol Hill hearing yesterday, Transportation Safety Administration chief John Pistole also defended the new screening steps.
  • The Government Printing Office reports a seventh straight year of positive net operating income. GPO says it finished fiscal 2010 with a net operating income of nearly $8 million on total revenues of $928 million. Public Printer Bob Tapella credits employees and new approaches to printing, digital media and secure credentialing.

More news links

Remote device to monitor health on battlefield (AirForceNews)

Gov’t survey: 45M suffered mental illness in 2009

Scientists claim breakthrough in antimatter hunt

Hong Kong diagnoses first human bird flu case in 7 years (CNN)

TSA Must Protect Employees, Provide Public Education to Pat-downs, Says TSA Union (AFGE press release)

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