EEOC to investigate TSA favoritism
Another management discrimination and favoritism investigation will be launched against the Transportation Security Administration, this time by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.In a Jan. 25 letter (.pdf), the EEOC said it has decided to conduct its own investigation after the Homeland Security Department auditors found widespread favoritism in hiring and promotion practices as well as a failure to address EEO complaints.
New America proposes budget-neutral student aid overhaul
Pell Grants should be entitlements, the New America Foundation says in a new report that proposes a budget-neutral overhaul of federal student aid. As entitlements, the grants would disburse automatically according to a permanently funded formula, and would thus avoid the uncertainty of the annual appropriations process.
Spotlight: OPM changes agency HR support structure
Human capital officers at the Office of Personnel Management will now work on pilot programs that address governmentwide Obama administration priorities, while policy offices assume the role of providing other agencies with guidance on HR policy and its application.
'Unprecedented' federal inmate increase strains resources
The federal prison system faces an unprecedented growth in inmate population and Congress has to decide if the growth is sustainable or if it needs to change federal criminal justice policy to reduce the population while maintaining public safety, says the Congressional Research Service. The number of inmates under the Bureau of Prison's jurisdiction has increased 790 percent from roughly 25,000 in fiscal 1980 to nearly 219,000.
MSPB: Budget concerns should make agencies look at cutting processes or workforce
Agencies should focus on eliminating unnecessary functions and address poor employee performance to show they properly use funds because budgets may soon decrease, says the Merit Systems Protection Board. When addressing poor performance, MSPB first recommends employee training and development.
Panelists: Understating sequestration will hurt DoD--but so will overstating
Either understating or overstating sequestration's effects on the military could lead to even deeper budget cuts, panelists at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington said Jan. 28.
Interagency contract guidance at Defense needs clear guidance
Interagency contract use at the Defense Department is inconsistent because the department has not made updates required by a new procurement framework for such contract vehicles, says the Government Accountability Office.
Kerry doesn't know what a nuclear bomb can do
More Obama administration turnover
More high-level appointees have announced their departures from the Obama administration. Among the latest is Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who said Jan. 29 he will depart as soon as a successor can be found.
State pursues local government focus in foreign relations
Foreign policy and foreign relations efforts conducted by the State Department often rely on new state and local elected officials from the United States and other countries, says Reta Jo Lewis, special representative for global intergovernmental affairs at State. Lewis, the first person to fill her position, says her office acts as an intermediary between federal agencies and local officials when those officials work with foreign governments and travel to engage in trade.
Secret Service thoroughly investigated prostitution scandal, say DHS auditors
Homeland Security Department auditors say the Secret Service investigation of its April 2012 Colombian prostitution scandal was "expeditious and thorough." Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan learned of the prostitute cavorting allegations within an hour of the Miami field office receiving notice of them, the report says.
Firearm background checks may improve for tribal agencies
The Justice Department says Native American tribal criminal justice agencies should receive information about issued firearm permits and licenses and have access to FBI databases for background checks.In a proposed rule change published Jan. 28 in the Federal Register, Justice says tribal agencies that can issue firearm permits and licenses should have the same access that state and local criminal justice agencies have to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Consolidation and cost-cutting are USPS 2013 resolutions
The Postal Service will undertake cost saving measures and service changes in 2013 to increase available revenue, says Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe.In his State of the Postal Service presentation, Donahoe said on Jan. 24 the service remains "in a very tenuous position as far as cash on hand" because Congress has not passed legislation to aid the Postal Service.
Federal gerontocracy contributes to lack of innovation
The federal workforce's training levels and age demographics make it hard to adopt new technologies or innovations and pose long-term risks as more workers reach retirement age, said members of a panel hosted by the Center of Strategic and International Studies. Carly Fiorina, co-chair of U.S. leadership in Development at CSIS, said there is "an unwillingness to change fundamental processes in a way that would permit the transformative power of technology to work."
Defense will lay off up to 46,000 - CORRECTION
The Pentagon has started to lay off temporary civilian and contract workers to cut spending ahead of the an anticipated March 1 budget sequestration. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said layoffs could reach as high as 46,000 workers.
Agency gains from enhanced use leases are unclear
Federal agencies could see financial benefits through the use of enhanced use leases, but only if they adequately account for all costs and benefits of the leases, says the Government Accountability Office. It notes that some EULs do very well, such as a State Department lease in Istanbul for $20.6 million and a NASA EUL worth $147.7 million, but says most have modest gains "where the costs could more easily outweigh the benefits."
Senate filibuster rules mostly unchanged
Following a Jan. 24 vote, a resolution (S. Res. 15) from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will allow the Senate to avoid filibusters on motions to proceed in exchange for a guarantee that the minority party can propose amendments. Those amendments will need 51 votes to pass.Outright termination of a filibuster still requires 60 votes.
Union membership declines among federal workers
According to numbers (.pdf) published Jan. 23 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly 956,000 federal government employees are members of unions, some 26.9 percent of the total 3.5 million federal workers. This is down from the 28.1 percent member rate in 2011.
OIG blasts 'dysfunctional' Broadcasting Board of Governors for internal rancor, conflicts of interest
The nine-member Broadcasting Board of Governors' "dysfunction stems from a flawed legislative structure and acute internal dissension," according to the OIG report. Among its deficiencies is failure to implement key provisions of its 5 year strategic plan, according to the report.
Three-month debt ceiling fix likely to become law
The House on Jan. 23 approved a short-term solution to the debt limit and the Senate and White House have singalled it is likely to pass and be signed into law. In a 285-144 vote, the House passed H.R. 325, which would extend the country's borrowing ability to pay for items that come due by May 18 by suspending the enforcement of the debt limit and setting it to the level achieved at the start of May 19.
