FederalDaily - October 7, 2005
Government-wide Personnel Changes Stir Controversy
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) clashed with federal employees unions
at a hearing this week discussing the Working For America Act (WFAA), a new
bill proposing government-wide personnel changes (including pay-for-performance).
The hearing was held by the House Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal
Workforce and Agency Organization. OPM Director Linda Springer testified for
the enactment of the bill, saying it would require federal agencies to better
manage and reward employees. But National Treasury Employees Union President
Colleen Kelley criticized WFAA, calling it an “attack on the rights of
federal employees.” For more on this story, see the upcoming Oct. 10,
2005 , issue of Federal Employees News Digest. To subscribe, click
here.
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CIA Officers Won’t Be Punished
The CIA Office of the Inspector General recently issued a report recommending
that the head of the CIA convene a performance accountability board to judge
the performances of some CIA officers working against al-Qa’ida prior
to 9/11. “After great consideration of this report and its conclusions,
I will not convene an accountability board to judge the performances of any
individual CIA officers,” stated CIA Director Porter Goss in response
to the report. He added that offers were faced with inadequate resources. He
said certain individuals were asked to step-up and they were “stars” who
had excelled in their areas. “Unfortunately, time and resources were
not on their side,” Goss stated. “Singling out these individuals
would send the wrong message to our junior officers about taking risks.”
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Feds Investigate Fraudulent Hurricane Claims
Teams of special agents from at least 10 federal government agencies have
been dispatched to investigate a multitude of fraudulent claims from Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita. Richard J. Skinner, inspector general of the Department of
Homeland Security, said, "Through computer databases, informant tips and
hotline tips, we are receiving information of fraudulent claims." He advised
that anyone who has made such claims should “seriously consider withdrawing
their claims or voluntarily returning monies already disbursed to them." False
disaster claims or theft of government property, prosecuted by the Justice
Department, are felonies carrying maximum penalties of 10 years imprisonment
or $250,000 fine—or both.
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DoD Focuses on Reimbursing Troops for Equipment
After pressure from several congressmen, the Department of Defense (DoD)
issued regulations to initiate the reimbursement to servicemen and women deployed
to Iraq and Afghanistan who bought their own protective armor. The regulations
were released seven months after the congressional deadline mandated in the
2005 Defense Authorization Act. Under DoD’s new policy, servicemembers—or
those acting on their behalf—can be reimbursed up to $1,100 for body
armor or other vital equipment that they had to purchase on their own. The
reimbursements cover purchases made up until Aug. 1, 2004 . “This reimbursement
policy is a long time in coming,” said Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. In related
news, the Senate just approved an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill
directing the DoD to reimburse soldiers who purchase essential military equipment
while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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