FederalDaily - March 10, 2006

House Democrats Target Wasteful Pentagon Spending

National security issues and the war on terror do not justify wasteful Pentagon spending, said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D.-Calif., who plans to introduce the Common Sense Budget Act with 15 House Democrat cosponsors. Woolsey’s proposal recommends moving $60 billion from the Pentagon budget to use for other programs and priorities. Defending the move, Woolsey said, “Fifteen years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is mind-boggling and inexcusable that the Pentagon continues to waste tens of billions of dollars buying outdated, Cold War-era weaponry for a national security threat that no longer exists.” The cuts in defense spending were recommended by Lawrence Korb, assistant secretary of defense during the Reagan administration. Korb’s proposal argues that the cuts would not affect current troop support or counterterrorism initiatives.

:: Back to Top ::

NTEU Files Grievance over IRS Office Closings

The Internal Revenue Service is moving forward with plans to close call centers in Houston, Texas and Chicago, Ill. despite opposition from Congress, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) said Wednesday. NTEU filed a grievance challenging the move, which would impact 95 employees. Union President Colleen Kelley stated that the move “results in the loss of highly-skilled, experienced and dedicated employees—and that is a critical blow that no informed employer, including a major federal agency, should tolerate, much less initiate.” Kelley pointed out that Congress recently passed legal language, with the support of NTEU, prohibiting the IRS from implementing customer service cutbacks until the impact is fully studied.

:: Back to Top ::

Border Patrol Agents Guilty of Assault

An El Paso, Texas, federal jury found two U.S. Border Patrol agents guilty of assault involving a February 17, 2005, shooting incident, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday. The conviction included assault with serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon and obstruction of justice. The agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, attempted to apprehend a Mexican national transporting marijuana. Both Ramos and Compean fired at the suspect, with one bullet striking the victim. In addition to the shooting, the agents failed to report the incident, concealed evidence and obstructed the investigation. Sentencing will take place June 8, 2006, with both facing up to life in prison.

:: Back to Top ::