FederalDaily - June 22, 2005

Keep Federal Work In U.S.

Earlier this month Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., introduced the United States Workers Protection Act of 2005 to keep federal work at home. His bill says any federal government activity or function that is converted to contractor performance under A-76 may not be performed by the contractor outside the U.S.—except to the extent that the activity was previously performed by federal government employees outside the U.S. Other exceptions would be if the president says it’s necessary for national security reasons for the work to be performed overseas or if the property or services needed are only available outside of the U.S. Dodd’s bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

:: Back to Top ::

House Member Opposes NASA’s Performance Artist

Rep. Chris Chocola, R-Ind., is against NASA having a "performance artist" on its payroll. He recently introduced an amendment that will keep the agency from funding such a position again. The amendment was added to the annual Science-State-Justice-Commerce appropriations bill, which passed 418-7 on June 16. Chocola said his amendment will keep NASA from using any of its appropriation from being used to hire an artist-in-residence in the future. The measure was filed in response to NASA's 2003 decision to hire Laurie Anderson to serve as the space agency's first (and now only) artist-in-residence. Anderson, a violinist and composer, was paid a stipend of $20,000. According to Chocola's staff, Anderson produced a play called "The End of the Moon" that was based on her experiences at NASA and also produced a short film, "Twelve Regrets," intended as a NASA entry in the 2005 World Exposition in Japan.

:: Back to Top ::

Protecting Feds against Sexual Orientation Discrimination

There is a new call for protecting federal employees against discrimination based on sexual orientation. In a June 20 letter to the president, 85 Congressmen, led by Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and George Miller, D-Calif., urged him to ensure that Office of Special Counsel Director Scott Bloch enforces the anti-discrimination policy. Saying they were pleased that Bush reaffirmed the policy that an individual’s sexual orientation should not influence his or her employment in federal service, the Congressmen went on to say Bloch is refusing to carry out this policy. Their letter was in response to Bloch’s “flat refusal” during an appearance last month before a Senate subcommittee to enforce the policy.

:: Back to Top ::

Navy Deals with Stress

The Navy Environmental Health Center (NEHC) in Portsmouth, Va., launched a Web-based tool this month known as the Navy Systematic Stress Management Program to assist active duty Sailors and Marines and their families in managing stress. Anyone (including family members or retirees) looking for stress management assistance can use this tool if they have access to a personal computer. The program is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program supports health care providers, supervisors or anyone else involved in stress management intervention, as well as individuals using the program as a “self-help” tool. For more information on dealing with stress, visit the Navy Systematic Stress Management Program homepage available on the NEHC Web site at www-nehc.med.navy.mil/hp/stress/index.htm.

:: Back to Top ::