Federal Drive

Wednesday Morning Federal Newscast – June 22nd

Top-secret clearance checks falsified, Education considers buyouts, Snaps up for National Landmarks photo contest

Federal News Network Staff

June 22, 2011 8:59 am

4 min read

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.

The U.S. Postal Service says it will suspend its employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Postal Service says stopping the contributions will save $800 million in fiscal 2011. The agency says it pays $115 million every other week for the FERS annuity. USPS has repeatedly said it has a FERS account surplus of almost $7 billion. The agency will continue submitting FERS contributions made by employees, and matching contributions and employee contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
Government inspectors have undertaken a campaign to root out fraud – by the very federal authorities responsible for granting security clearances to government employees. The Washington Times reports, some background investigators, who determine which people gets top-secret clearance, were verifying documents that they never checked, and saying they conducted interviews that never took place. Court records show at least 170 confirmed false interviews and records checks. More than 1,000 cases were suspected. Seven investigators and two records checkers have been convicted of falsifying records in the last 3 years.
Congress is considering whether the Hatch Act needs revision. The Act bans political activities on the job by federal employees. It was last reworked in 1993. But since then, the rise of the Internet and social media have created new avenues of political activity. At a Congressional hearing, the Office of Special Council reports that last year it resolved 535 Hatch Act violation cases. The House Oversight and Government Reform committee wants to clarify which federal workers come under the Hatch Act. Right now anyone in the executive office of the president is exempt. Lawmakers are also considering less severe penalties for violators.
The Education Department could be the latest agency to offer employee buyouts. GovExec reports department brass will make their decision in July. Education offered buyouts in December of last year. In 2009 it offered them to employees in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. The Agriculture Department and Government Printing Office have recently announced buyout offers. GPO wants to cut its workforce by 15 percent. Buyouts, officially called Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, give employees up to $25,000 dollars in cash if they retire.
President Obama will tell the nation tonight about his plans for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. He’s expected to call for a 10,000 troop reduction over the next year. Currently the U.S. has 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, including 30,000 ordered there in 2009 for a surge campaign. The president reached his decision after receiving a range of options from General David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been informed of the decision. But the work will fall to his successor. The Senate confirmed Leon Panetta as the next Defense Secretary yesterday afternoon.
After 17 years, a total Pentagon renovation is finally complete. The $4.5 billion program was the world’s largest reconstruction project when it began. Building the Pentagon took just 17 months during World War II. So, why did it take so long to refurbish? The building was stripped down to concrete columns and rebuilt from floor to ceiling, section by section, while 20,000 people continued to operate the Defense headquarters 24 hours a day. The Washington Post reports refurbishment techniques used on the Pentagon were so successful that they’ve become a model for other federal projects, like the rebuilding of levees by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans.
The National Park Service is kicking off it’s 8th annual National Natural Landmarks Program Photo Contest. There are 586 sites nationwide that have been designated National Natural Landmarks (NNL). They want you to go out and take pictures that showcase the biological and geological beauty of these sites. Each entrant can submit up to three photos. Thirteen winning pictures will be selected by National Park Service employees nationwide and will be featured in the 2012 NNL calendar. The contest ends June 30, 2011.

More news links

Pentagon gets cyberwar guidelines

NTSB: Culture of driving with phones must change

VA moves to renovate buildings in LA for homeless vets

THIS AFTERNOON ON FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

Coming up today on In Depth with Francis Rose:

–On Pentagon Solutions, Leon Panetta’s impact on DoD’s acquisition jungle. Former deputy undersecretary for acquisition management Dale Church has a list of recommendations.

–The Army’s testing its move to smartphones in combat this week. We’ll learn more from a report from retired Major General Dennis Moran.

Join Francis from 3 to 7 pm on 1500 AM or on your computer.