FederalDaily - April 21, 2006

Whistleblower Allegations against Air Marshal Service

Federal air marshal Frank Terreri—with the help of a nonprofit organization called the Government Accountability Project (GAP)—filed a petition with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) to investigate the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS). In the petition, Terreri alleges abuse of authority, mismanagement, legal violations and threats to air safety. The main problem, Terreri claims, is repeated disclosures by FAMS of operational tactics and policies to various media outlets, which also compromise the identity of individual air marshals. “This release of sensitive and classified information jeopardizes the Federal Air Marshal Mission, Federal Air Marshal Personnel, the security of our country and the safety of the flying public,” Terreri said in a written statement. OSC will determine whether to order the Department of Homeland Security secretary to investigate and submit a report to the president and congressional oversight committees.

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EEOC Issues New Race Discrimination Guidelines

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on Wednesday issued updated guidance regarding Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and prohibition of discrimination in the workplace. Along with the guidance, EEOC released a question and answer fact sheet, clarifying definitions of “race” and “color,” what constitutes intentional discrimination, whether neutral policies can be discriminatory and covering other general topics. In a statement, EEOC Chair Cari M. Dominguez said, “This comprehensive guidance will assist employers, employees and EEOC staff in understanding how Title VII applies to a wide range of contemporary discrimination issues.” For more information, visit www.eeoc.gov/types/race.html.

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NASA Studies Exercise Benefits for Astronauts

NASA, with the help of two universities, is investigating ways in which exercise can counteract negative health effects caused by space travel, the agency said this week. The agency is conducting a pilot study at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., using the 20-G centrifuge machine, which creates artificial gravity forces 20 times those on Earth. Along with the University of Kentucky in Lexington and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., NASA hopes to learn how leaving the low gravity environment in space and returning to Earth affects humans. Scientists will monitor the effects of exercise on subjects while they are on the centrifuge. NASA is hoping to learn more than just how gravity and exercise can benefit astronauts. Fritz Moore, a scientist working on the project, said, “The knowledge we gain here helps us understand everyday health issues such as high or low blood pressure.”

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Air Force Ordered to Comply with FOIA

The National Security Archive won a partial summary judgment against the Air Force (AF) on April 19, with a federal court finding that the AF exhibited a pattern of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) violations. According to its Web site, the Archive brought the lawsuit due to the AF’s failure to respond to 82 separate FOIA requests. The court order requires the AF to resolve each request as soon as possible and, for requests requiring assistance from other agencies, inform those agencies of the court order and urgency of the task.

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