FederalDaily - July 27, 2006

National Guard Aims to Meet Goal of 6,000 Border Troops

The National Guard announced July 25 that by August 1, the service will meet its goal of posting up to 6,000 soldiers along the Southwestern border to assist U.S. Border Patrol units in reducing the tide of illegal immigrants. “They will be in the border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas,” Army Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum said. The number was specified as a requirement by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, after President Bush requested in May that the Guard be employed to buttress the border. The following month, Operation Jump Start was launched. The Border Patrol will strengthen its ranks over the expected two-year lifetime of the operation. Blum said the Guard might ultimately exceed the 6,000 specified soldiers, clarifying that it is hard to predict the exact number because military units are not based on such estimates. “They are build to deliver capabilities,” he said. For more, go to: www.arng.army.mil/news/.

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OSC Announces Victory for USDA Whistleblower

The Office of Special Council (OSC)—the independent federal agency tasked with investigating whistleblowers’ retaliation claims—announced July 24 a favorable settlement for a Department of Agriculture (USDA) whistleblower. A former secretary to Bill Allen—who has resigned from his post as USDA Alaska State Director for Rural Development—claimed her boss routinely abused office resources for nonfederal purposes. The former employee alerted the USDA’s Office of Inspector General and other officials. A subsequent OSC investigation concluded that Allen engaged in prohibited personnel practices in retaliation—demoting, investigating and ultimately removing her. In the settlement, she will receive damages, attorneys’ fees and a new position in the same office. Allen, meanwhile, faces possible prosecution. “Federal employees should not have to fear reprisal for their courageous acts of conscience and OSC will continue to stand behind them whenever they expose waste, fraud and abuse within the government,” OSC Special Counsel Scott Bloch said. For more go to www.osc.gov.

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FDA Announces Coming Improvements to Advisory Committee Process

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced July 24 planned reforms to the agency’s all-important advisory committees, which are composed of outside scientists to pose and answer probing questions in the course of protecting the public from dangerous food, drugs and drug devices. The announcement said that the changes should lead to greater “clarity and transparency in the disclosure of waivers of relationships that could present the appearance of conflicts of interest,” among other changes. The reforms include issuing a guidance document “identifying more clearly the conditions under which conflict of interest waivers are granted.” The reforms will be implemented in the “coming months,” the agency said. For more, go to www.fda.gov.

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