FederalDaily - February 1, 2006

Postal Employee Shoots Co-Workers

Law enforcement officials have notified the Postal Service that five employees were shot and killed at the Santa Barbara Processing and Distribution Center in Goleta, California, and a sixth employee has been hospitalized with injuries. “It was with complete shock and sadness that I learned early today of the shooting…,” said Postmaster General John E. Potter. He said families of the victims are being notified and professional counselors will be available to the families and to other facility employees. The shooter, identified as a former Postal Service employee, also died, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to Potter, the Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service are cooperating with local law enforcement officials in their investigation.

Congressman Defends NASA Scientist

House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., on Jan. 30 sent a letter to Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA administrator, in response to articles in TheNew York Times and The Washington Post indicating that NASA officials may be trying to “silence” Dr. James Hansen, the director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “It ought to go without saying that government scientists must be free to describe their scientific conclusions and the implications of those conclusions to their fellow scientists, policymakers and the general public,” Boehlert’s letter said. The congressman added: “NASA is clearly doing something wrong, given the sense of intimidation felt by Dr. Hansen and others who work with him.”

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Postmasters Benefit Plan Participants Turn to Blue Cross

On Jan. 23, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the Postmasters Benefit Plan (PBP) offered to federal employees under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program would be dropped. It had nearly 8,000 participants. OPM said the 6,000 retirees and annuitants enrolled in the PBP were transferred into the Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan Standard option (BCBS) within 24 hours of OPM’s announcement regarding PBP. The remaining enrollees, nearly 2,000 active federal employees, were enrolled into BCBS the next day. OPM is providing an FEHB Open Season during February so those affected will be able to choose from all available FEHB plans as they would during regular Open Season. “The special Open Season will be held expressly for those who were impacted and would prefer to make another choice,” said OPM Director Linda Springer.

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DHS Sued for Katrina Information

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) on Jan. 30 sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over “its continued refusal to respond to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on Katrina-related issues.” In September, CREW sent a FOIA request to DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) asking for records and communications regarding the federal government’s preparedness for and response to Hurricane Katrina. CREW’s request for an expedited response from DHS was denied, according to the nonprofit organization. CREW is looking for communication and budget information. CREW’s FOIA request and the DHS responses are available at www.citizensforethics.org.

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