FederalDaily - July 6, 2005
Bill Proposed to Protect Gay Workers
Legislation has been offered in the House that would protect federal employees
against discrimination based on their sexual orientation. The bill was introduced
by Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., and Henry Waxman, D-Calif., in response
to the administration’s unwillingness to offer such protections. In 1998,
President Bill Clinton signed an executive order stating that it is unlawful
to discriminate against federal employees based on their sexual orientation.
But in May of this year, Special Counsel Scott Bloch testified before Congress
that the administration lacks the legal authority to protect federal employees
from discrimination based on their sexual orientation. The bipartisan legislation
is receiving significant support from members on both sides of the isle.
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House Looks to Change Job Competition Rules
Legislation barring the use of federal funds to conduct job competitions under
rules established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has gotten through
the House. The bill, offered by Rep. Christopher Van Hollen, D-Md., is an attempt
to force OMB to revise its rules governing job competitions. This is the third
time legislation attempting to change the rules has been proposed. If approved
by the Senate, the bill would prohibit the use of job competition rules at
all federal agencies. The bill received support from Rep. Thomas M. Davis,
who is chair of the House Committee on Government Reform.
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FAA Outsourcing Blocked
An attempt by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to outsource 2,000
federal flight service jobs has been blocked by the House. Included in the
fiscal 2006 Transportation and Treasury appropriations bill, an amendment bans
FAA from using federal funds to help in the transfer of flight service work
to Lockheed Martin Corp., who had won a bid to provide the services. The administration
has threatened to veto the spending bill due to what it sees as attempts by
legislators to stand in the way of needed management reforms. The bill still
has to get through the Senate.
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Bill Honors Cold War Vets
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has introduced a bill that would honor those that
helped fight the Cold War. Dubbed the Cold War Medal Act, the bill would establish
a service medal that could be awarded to those who performed active-duty or
inactive-duty training as an enlisted member or commissioned officer during
the Cold War. “Our victory in the Cold War was made possible by the willingness
of millions of Americans in uniform to stand prepared against the threat from
behind the Iron Curtain to the DMZ,” said Clinton. Similar legislation
has been introduced in the House.
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