FederalDaily - May 3, 2006

GSA Updates Travel Regulations

The General Services Administration (GSA) amended the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) recently to clarify the use of federal funds to pay for early conference registration fees and services for employees with special needs on official travel. The first change amends the FTR to allow for travel advances so employees can take advantage of “early bird” discounts for work conferences. GSA noted that employees had been reluctant to register early, under the impression that they could not file a claim for reimbursement until after the conference was over. Authorized employees can, in fact, register early and claim reimbursement to obtain the discounted rate. In addition, “to provide reasonable accommodations for travel of an employee with special needs,” GSA has authorized agencies to reimburse expenses, such as travel and per diem, for an attendant that must travel with the employee for the trip to be feasible. Information on the FTR is available on GSA’s Web site, at http://www.gsa.gov/ftr.

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Naval Sonar May Have Caused Whale Stranding

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report found that Navy sonar equipment may have been a factor leading to 150-200 melon-headed whales being stranded in shallow water near Hanalei Bay, Hawaii. The report, released on April 27, determined that sonar signals from nearby naval ships were a “plausible, if not likely” cause, though data limitations—particularly on the exact location of the whales and the level of sonar exposure—prevented conclusive analysis. NOAA’s investigation said that the sonar signals could have reached the area in question and caused the whales’ reaction, leading to the temporary stranding. One whale, a calf, died from the incident. The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) issued a press release, noting that, the first month after the incident, the Navy initially denied using sonar near the area. NRDC expressed concern that NOAA was considering approval of a Navy request to conduct similar sonar testing in Hawaii this June. The NOAA report is available at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/mmume/event2004jul.htm.

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New Judicial Branch IG Proposed

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, recently announced new legislation that would create an inspector general (IG) for the judicial branch of the federal government. The new IG would provide credibility and accountability to the judicial branch, Grassley said. “Press accounts and Government Accountability Office reports indicate the federal Judiciary’s self policing is not up to snuff,” he added. The Judicial Transparency and Ethics Enhancement Act of 2006 would establish an IG appointed by the chief justice of the U.S., with consultation from Congress. The IG’s duties and responsibilities would include:

• investigating misconduct at all levels of the judicial branch, including the Supreme Court;
• conducting audits;
• recommending law or regulation changes to Congress; and
• providing annual reports to the chief justice and Congress.

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Obstacles in Hiring Language Specialists

Between April 2004 and March 2005, the FBI’s backlog of untranslated audio counterterrorism material doubled. Further, 60 percent of the State Department’s critical language experts are eligible to retire in the next five years, according to the Partnership for Public Service (PPS). PPS noted that the government has a shortage of translators for critical languages such as Chinese and Arabic. In addition, PPS noted that the government faces stiff competition from the private sector, a shortage of qualified teachers and a prolonged security clearance process. PPS urged a government-wide assessment of language skill needs to ensure that allocated resources can overcome the many obstacles.

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