In Depth interviews – June 8

This is the In Depth show blog. Here you can listen to the interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day and links to additional resources.

Jim Eisenmann — General Counsel, Merit Systems Protection Board

The Merit Systems Protection Board is in the middle of a top-to-bottom overhaul of the regulation that govern how claims by federal employees get adjudicated — for the first time since 1979.

The agency published a proposed rule in the Federal Register this week that deal with everything from which cases the board can hear to what information agencies have to provide to potential whistleblowers. Jim Eisenmann, the general counsel for the MSPB, discusses some of the changes.

Overhaul of federal employee appeals policies planned (The Washington Post)

Tim McManus — Vice President for Education, Partnership for Public Service

College grads say the government is the No. 1 place to find a job. And not only is it the first-choice employer, but it’s attracting students from a variety of disciplines.

Those conclusions come from an annual survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Tim McManus, the vice president for education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service, joins In Depth to discuss what’s driving students’ desire to work in the government.

Click here to view the survey results.

Brian Friel — Federal business analyst, Bloomberg Government

The General Services Administration is back under the microscope.

Over the last two years, contract spending by the federal government fell farther faster, than any other period since the end of the Cold War. Those are the findings of a new analysis by Bloomberg Government, which culled through their own proprietary database of federal spending to come up with the numbers.

The report details a 6 percent decline — to $532.6 billion in fiscal 2011 — from a high of $568.1 billion in fiscal 2009.

Brian Friel, a federal business analyst with Bloomberg Government, joins In Depth to discuss the report and how the Big Five defense contractors will cope with the reductions.

Click here to view the report (subscription required)

Greg Jacob — Policy Director, Service Women’s Action Network

The Air Force made history this week when Janet Wolfenbarger became the first female four-star general in the service’s history. Wolfenbarger took over as commander of the Air Force Materiel Command. For perspective on the promotion, Greg Jacob, the policy director for the Service Women’s Action Network, which advocates for equal opportunity and freedom to serve for women in the military.

This story is part of Federal News Radio’s daily DoD Report brought to you by United Health Military and Veterans Services. For more defense news, click here.

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