Federal Newscast

Wednesday federal headlines – April 27, 2016

The House has passed a bill to shorten the amount of time federal employees under misconduct investigation can be on paid administrative leave.

Federal News Network Staff

April 27, 2016 9:07 am

3 min read

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

The House has passed a bill to shorten the amount of time federal employees under misconduct investigation can be on paid administrative leave. The Administrative Leave Reform Act limits that time off to 14 days. The legislation, sponsored by chairman of the Oversight and government reform committee Jason Chaffetz, now heads to the Senate. (House Oversight and Government Reform Committee)

She stands accused of committing armed robbery, but she still works at the Veterans Affairs Caribbean Health Care System. The top VA health official said the agency is powerless to fire her. Dr. David Shulkin, undersecretary for health, said the department can’t fire an employee for off-duty misconduct unless that person poses a threat to veterans or other employees. (Veterans Affairs)

OMB has one more initiative coming to bring all of its work around IT modernization together. Federal chief information officer Tony Scott said it’s time say goodbye to the ‘wait until it breaks’ or ‘wait until there is a crisis’ mentality when it comes to moving off of legacy IT systems. He said agencies need to get on a path toward continuously upgrading their technology. Several of OMB’s policies and proposals over the last six months are aimed at moving agencies in that direction. Scott said while he’s not ready to announce any new program, he wants you to know where the government is heading. He said agencies must find the best way to bring in modern technology and platforms while doing it quickly.

The F-35 program is at a critical pivot point right now and is making progress. That’s what Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Bogdan, who is also the program’s executive officer, said though it faces challenges, development and flight tests will finish in late 2017. Not everyone agrees, though. Chairman of the committee, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called the program a scandal filled with cost overruns. (New York Times)

The Transportation Department needs to speed up efforts to set cybersecurity standards for automobiles. The Government Accountability Office said rising levels of electronics in cars make them increasingly vulnerable. DoT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it’s exploring is its role in responding to vehicle cyberattacks, but likely won’t decide on government standards until 2018. (GAO)

Federal agencies involved in the tourism industry may need to help boost tourism in Native American communities. The Senate passed the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience Act. It calls for the departments of Commerce and Interior, as well as other agencies, to update management plans and tourism initiatives to include Indian tribes and tribal organizations. (Sen. Brian Schatz)

The Justice Department headquarters has dealt itself more control over national security prosecutions. The move gives more oversight authority to prosecutors in Washington. The New York Times reports, the move follows several high-profile cases against Chinese Americans that local prosecutors started, then dropped. Those cases weren’t classified as national security, so they didn’t get headquarters attention. Deputy Attorney Sally Yates told local offices that Washington is widening the definition of national security. (New York Times)

A non-profit organization wants to help the Defense Health Agency’s next chief information officer when he or she takes the job. AFCEA will release a report in the next month outlining top priorities for the DHA CIO. The report is intended to help the CIO make the most of his time in office and prepare whoever replaces him in the new administration. AFCEA teamed up with industry to create the report. (Federal News Radio)

Look for fresh cybersecurity guidance from the National Institute of Science and Technology. It’s coming out next week. NIST Fellow Dr. Ron Ross said the guidance will help agencies take what NIST calls a holistic approach by building a grand cybersecurity strategy. (Federal News Radio)