FederalDaily - May 19, 2006
House Committee Rejects MaxHR Funding
The House Appropriations Committee refused an administration request for an additional $41.7 million for MaxHR, the proposed personnel system for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to an announcement by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). As it stands, the committee authorized $29.7 million for MaxHR, the same funding level as the previous fiscal year. NTEU—which had lobbied for reduced MaxHR funding—said the personnel system has been “discredited” and it is a sign of “misguided” DHS priorities. NTEU President Colleen Kelley said “there are many other pressing priorities for this money within DHS,” such as providing Customs and Border Protection with resources to improve border and port security.
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Immigrant Troops in Iraq Receive Citizenship
More than 120 active duty immigrant servicemembers received their U.S. citizenship during a May 12 ceremony in Balad, Iraq. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted the ceremony. “These men and women have pledged to defend with their lives liberties they have yet to secure for themselves,” said Anne Corsano, USCIS deputy director. “There is no more fitting way for a grateful Nation to show its appreciation than through granting qualified military servicemembers U.S. citizenship as quickly as possible.” According to USCIS, the troops at the ceremony came from 52 different countries. A recent change in U.S. citizenship laws authorized USCIS to conduct naturalization ceremonies overseas. More than 1,000 troops received their U.S. citizenship while stationed overseas, USCIS stated.
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DSS Resumes Security Clearance Processing
The Defense Security Service (DSS) has resumed contractor security clearance processing for initial requests for secret clearances, the agency announced on its Web site Tuesday. According to the announcement, cases placed on hold during the temporary suspension do not need to be resubmitted. Initial top secret and secret reinvestigations will resume when further funding is received, DSS said. The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) was “encouraged” but said the move was insufficient. “No solution can be acceptable short of the full restoration of the processing of all industry clearance applications,” said Doug Wagoner, ITAA’s intelligence committee chairman, in a May 16 statement. He advocated an “overhaul” of the security clearance process, which he called “long overdue.”
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USPS Notes Dog Bite Prevention Week
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced that National Dog Bite Prevention Week is May 21 to 27. “Last year, 3,249 letter carriers were bitten by dogs across the United States,” said a USPS statement. “Thanks to our aggressive community outreach efforts with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and other organizations nationwide, 71 fewer letter carriers were victimized by dog attacks last year. But even one bite is one too many.” According to USPS data, Houston postal employees suffered the most dog bites last year with 108, followed by Santa Ana, Calif., with 94; Indianapolis metro area, 83; Bay Valley, Calif., and the Cincinnati metro area with 82 bites.
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