Federal Drive

Thursday Morning Federal Newsstand

While the Federal Drive offers some of our “best of” interviews, here are some of the other stories we’re following today – Written by J...

Federal News Network Staff

August 6, 2009 8:26 am

3 min read

While the Federal Drive offers some of our “best of” interviews, here are some of the other stories we’re following today –

Written by Jane Norris
Edited by Suzanne Kubota

A laptop theft is exposing the personal data of about 131,000 National Guardsmen. The contractor laptop was stolen July 27th during a conference in Atlanta and reported this week. It does contain names, social security numbers and financial information. Affected guards are being notified about the theft by e-mail. So far the National Guard bureau reports there has been no adverse activity as a result of the theft. More information is available at www.ng.mil and they’ve set up a toll-free call center at (877) 481-4957 to answer servicemembers’ questions.

Federal employees may be using their identification cards to pay for Metro soon. The Defense Department has just begun discussions with Metro. A pilot program is being considered that would allow feds and contractors to pay with their ID’s.

The Secretary of State Hillary Clinton complained about slow vetting by the White House weeks ago, now Paul Farmer the leading candidate to head the U.S. Agency for International Development has pulled his name for the job, reports Congressional Quarterly. Farmer was never formally nominated. Secretary Clinton During a town-hall-style meeting at USAID last month called the delay in naming an administrator “frustrating beyond words” and blamed the White House vetting process for discouraging several candidates.

The head of the Federal Agency that regulates mortgage finance Companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may be stepping down soon. No formal announcement has been made about the departure of James Lockhart but the move may be a precursor to major changes for Fannie and Freddie being considered by Treasury. The Washington Post reports that the Obama administration is looking at an overhaul that would strip billions of dollars in troubled loans from the two mortgage giants and create new government backed financial institution. A so-called bad bank that would collect outstanding balances on bad loans.

There could be a new batch of Federal appointees confirmed by the time the Senate adjourns for its August recess. GovExec reports Senate majority leader Harry Reid is negotiating with Republican Senators to move a significant number of the stalled nominations. Reid told Congress Daily the hold up was due to the Supreme Court nomination of Sonya Sotomayor. Democratic aides say the nominees will likely include Christine Griffin as OMB deputy director and Martha Johnson as head of the General Services Administration.

Homeland Security will put Federal Employees in charge in the country’s largest immigration and detention facilities. The move comes two years after the government turned those jobs over to a private company. The Obama Administration plans to place 23 Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officials at the largest detention facilities to supervise how the centers are managed. Private contractors have been on the job since 2007.

Energy Trading may be curbed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, according to the New York Times. The chairman of the agency Gary Gensler, said that he wants to impose new restrictions on so-called speculative traders to prevent the energy markets from being dominated by a few huge investment funds. Prices for crude oil shot up more than 50 percent last year, hitting a record above $147 a barrel in July resulting in $4.00 per gallon gas. Prices crashed to $33 in December. They have recently fluctuated, from $60 to $70 a barrel.

Laptop theft exposes personal data of 131,000 Guardsmen (Stars and Stripes)

TRICARE Announces New Military Dental Plan (FederalDaily)

House Orders Up Three Elite Jets (Roll Call)

U.S. Considers Remaking Mortgage Giants (WashingtonPost)

Report urges separation of science and state (USAToday)

Obama’s Battle Against Terrorism To Go Beyond Bombs and Bullets (WashingtonPost)

Emergency alert service for mobile devices in the works (GCN)

DARPA names Gabriel deputy director (FCW)

FAA orders safety changes to Boeing 767 fuel tanks

AP source: US attorney in Alexandria, Va., chosen

US Postal Service proposes cockfighting ad ban

Yellowstone numbers hit all-time high in July