FederalDaily - June 30, 2006
Stolen VA Laptop Recovered
A laptop containing the private information of millions of veterans that was stolen last month from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee has been recovered, according to VA Secretary Jim Nicholson. The machine contained the Social Security numbers and other personal information on as many as 26.5 million veterans and their families, and its loss resulted in millions of dollars spent on VA help lines and congressional hearings on subjects ranging from the theft itself to data security in general. Secretary Nicholson called the find "a very positive note in this very tragic incident.” Though the security of the data has not been verified, Nicholson said he remained optimistic that none of the information reached identity thieves. Meanwhile, the VA employee responsible—who is challenging his firing—reportedly had permission to take the laptop home.
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Union to Dispute CBP Election Results
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) announced its intention to appeal its recent loss to another union in a recent election meant to determine a single employee representative for the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). While not going into specifics, AFGE accused CBP management of “objectionable conduct” that swayed the results. The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) won the vote by a count of 7,369 to 3,426. NTEU President Colleen Kelley said of the victory, “This is a major victory not only for NTEU, but for all the dedicated women and men of CBP, who will now have available to them NTEU’s demonstrated skill and determination at the bargaining table and in representing their interests in the workplace.” The Federal Labor Relations Authority will not certify NTEU as the lone representative until the dispute is settled.
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FEMA Overhaul Legislation Introduced
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., formally introduced a new bill on Wednesday—the U.S. Emergency Management Authority Act of 2006—aimed at overhauling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Collins and Lieberman issued a report this past April recommending the abolishment of FEMA and the creation of a new, revitalized agency in its place. The legislation would create the U.S. Emergency Management Authority (USEMA). USEMA, according to a June 28 statement from Lieberman, would have the same status within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the Coast Guard and Secret Service rather than establishing it as an independent agency. The agency’s functions would be established via statute, and key, politically appointed USEMA officials would need to meet minimum experience standards.
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Call To Fly Flags At Half Staff
A resolution has been introduced in the House requesting that the president require all government buildings to fly the American flag at half-staff whenever a member of the armed forces is killed in action. Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark, introduced the bill June 28. “As America prepares to celebrate Independence Day, I can think of no better tribute to our men and women in uniform than passing legislation to honor the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. A spokesman for Berry said the bill was inspired by a request from a single constituent, who asked the congressman to find a way to better honor service members who “make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”
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