FederalDaily - October 8, 2004
Senate Passes Intelligence Reform
Act
The full Senate approved on Wednesday the most comprehensive
reform of the nation’s intelligence community since the CIA was created
in 1947. By a vote of 96 to 2 the Senate passed the National Intelligence Reform
Act. The legislation reorganizes the executive branch to transform the country’s
intelligence program. “Our legislation reorganizes an intelligence program
designed for the Cold War into one designed for the war against global terrorism
and future national security threats,” said Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine,
and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., (the bill sponsors) in a joint statement. “We
are hopeful the House will soon follow suit and pass similar legislation,” they
said. President Bush also urged the House to act quickly in passing intelligence
reform legislation.
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NAACP reports on EEOC Shortfalls
An inadequate budget coupled with inadequate staffing are
some of the most serious problems faced by the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC), the NAACP Federal Sector Task Force stated in a new report.
The report also stated the following findings:
- Congress has failed to adequately fund the EEOC for the last
two decades.
- During the period from 1980 to 2004, the total number of
EEOC full-time employees decreased from 3,390 to 2,447.
- During the period from 1991 to 2003, the average number of
days for EEOC to process an EEO complaint increased from 254
to 541, an increase of 287 days.
NAACP stated its sources as historical data and statistics
complied by EEOC and other published and unpublished documents
dated from 1980 through 2004.
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44,000 Hits in 17 Days for HSA Website
As of October 6, the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) Web site
about health savings accounts (HSAs), at www.opm.gov/hsa,
had registered 44,246 visitors since it launched 17 days before. Also, 12,301
visitors have requested e-mail updates and information. HSAs are tax-advantaged
accounts that allow enrollees in high deductible health plans to use their
medical dollars for future medical needs. The Federal Employees Health Benefits
(FEHB) Program will offer 18 high deductible health plans through which HSAs
will be offered in 2005. "OPM anticipated there would be some interest
in this option, but the interest to date exceeds expectations," said OPM
Director Kay Coles James.
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U.S. Soldiers Become Citizens Overseas
On Oct. 1, 17 U.S. soldiers were the first to take the oath of citizenship
while they were overseas, in Afghanistan. Similar ceremonies were slated for
34 servicemembers in Iraq and 28 servicemembers in Germany a few days after
the Afghanistan event. The National Defense Act signed by President Bush last
year legalized the naturalization of U.S. military members on foreign soil.
Ranging in rank from private first class to staff sergeant, the first 17 represented
13 different countries. Non-citizens are able to serve in the U.S. military,
but they are restricted to an eight-year period. There are other limitations
as well, such as the level of clearance they can receive and the ranks they
can obtain.
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