Federal News Countdown: Debt, budget, FLOTUS flight
Jonathan Breul of the IBM Center for the Business of Government and Bill Bransford of Bransford, Shaw and Roth count down the top federal stories of the week.
Today’s guests are:
–Bill Bransford, Partner, Shaw, Bransford & Roth
–Jonathan Breul, Executive Director, IBM Center for the Business of Government
Bill Bransford’s stories
#3 House passes bill that would cut fed pay, benefits
From Federal Times:
The House on Friday passed a Republican budget plan for fiscal 2012 that would freeze federal employees’ step increases and pay raises for five years, cut the government’s workforce by 10 percent, and require feds to pay much more into their pension plans.
H. Con. Res. 34, proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., also sets a budget blueprint for the next 10 years that would cut $6 trillion in federal spending. It stands virtually no chance of passing the Senate, which is controlled by Democrats who oppose the bill.
#2 Relying on continuing resolutions wasted billions, says Pentagon acquisition chief
From Governement Executive:
The absence of a permanent budget for the first six months of the fiscal year likely cost the Defense Department billions in inefficiencies, according to the Pentagon’s top purchasing official.
#1 FAA orders supervisors to handle flights of first lady, vice president
From Government Executive:
The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring that an air traffic supervisor, rather than a controller, will handle flights when the first lady or vice president is aboard, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
Jonathan Breul’s stories
#3 Plane carrying Michelle Obama aborts landing because of controller error
From Washington Post:
A White House plane carrying Michelle Obama came dangerously close to a 200-ton military cargo jet and had to abort its landing at Andrews Air Force Base on Monday as the result of an air traffic controller’s mistake, according to federal officials familiar with the incident.
#2 Economy Insiders: Long odds on long-term budget deal
From Government Executive:
In a sign of just how difficult a long-term budgetary compromise will be, more than 60 percent of Economic Insiders who participated in National Journal’s poll this week rated the odds of Congress agreeing on a long-term deficit reduction plan this year at less than one-third.
#1 S&P lowers U.S. debt outlook from ‘stable’ to ‘negative’
From Government Executive:
Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s dropped its long-term outlook for America’s debt position to ‘negative’ on Monday, citing concern that politicians will fail to reach agreement on how to tame the budget deficit, which is projected to be about $1.4 trillion for fiscal 2011.
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