FederalDaily - July 13, 2005
Battle Over Personnel Rules Goes
to Court
A federal court judge has agreed to a request by the National Treasury Employees
Union (NTEU) for a prompt hearing on the union’s motion for a preliminary
injunction to prevent implementation of new personnel rules by the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS). The hearing on the motion is scheduled for 2:30
p.m., July 14 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington,
D.C., before Judge Rosemary M. Collyer. NTEU, leading a coalition of five unions,
in June filed the motion for a preliminary injunction as part of the unions’ lawsuit
alleging that the DHS regulations, which are to take effect on Aug. 1, fail
to guarantee employees’ collective bargaining rights as required by the
Homeland Security Act, which established DHS.
:: Back to Top ::
Proposal to Cut 99 Programs
The House Appropriations Committee has proposed to terminate many federal
government programs it considers “low priority” in an effort to
achieve billions of dollars of savings. Program terminations cover programs
that were funded in last year’s budget and also new programs proposed
in the budget that received no funding in the spending bills. So far, the committee
has recommended that 99 programs be terminated for a savings of more than $4.5
billion. Although domestic discretionary spending is on track to be below
last year’s levels, according to a committee statement, mandatory spending
is increasing. For a list of the programs the committee proposes to terminate,
go to http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&
PressRelease_id=506&Month=7&Year=2005.
:: Back to Top ::
Workers Rally Against Personnel Changes
On Tuesday afternoon members and representatives from the American Federation
of Government Employees (AFGE) and the United DoD Workers Coalition protested
the National Security Personnel System (the proposed new personnel system for
the Department of Defense) and new personnel regulations at the Department
of Homeland Security at a rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The
unions charged that proposed personnel system changes will have a “devastating
effect” on the federal workforce. AFGE alleges the personnel changes
at the two agencies will result in lower salaries, the elimination of whistleblower
protections and lowered worker morale.
:: Back to Top ::
DHS Computer Security Criticized
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member
Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., said Monday the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
is failing to meet its responsibilities to keep its own computer infrastructure
secure. A new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requested
by Lieberman, found that DHS has not fully implemented practices to protect
its information systems. “How can the department possibly protect the
nation’s critical cyber-structure if it cannot keep its own house in
order?” Lieberman said. GAO said the DHS had not completed: risk assessments
of its systems; information system security plans; testing and evaluation of
its security controls; remedial action plans; plans for continuity of computer
operations should a breach occur; or a systems inventory.
:: Back to Top ::
|
