FederalDaily - September 27, 2006
DHS Won’t Pursue MaxHR Challenge
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have decided not to appeal a federal appeals court
ruling that declared illegal the labor relations portions of MaxHR—the new DHS pay-for-performance
personnel system, said the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). The union was the lead litigator
against MaxHR provisions in a series of court battles. In the final challenge, the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia ruled this summer that MaxHR’s limitations on collective bargaining
violated statutory requirements and that the plan was “utterly unreasonable.” NTEU and
other unions complained DHS put in place rules that would have effectively stripped employees of their
collective bargaining and other key rights. The appeals court upheld an injunction on implementing
the plan imposed by a lower court. "DHS has made the right decision—for itself, for its
employees and for our nation," NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said on Sept. 26. "It is
now time for DHS to put this adversarial proceeding behind it and to join with NTEU in focusing solely
on the agency's critical mission of protecting the American people." To see more, go to: http://cbpunion.org/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=966
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Panel OKs Peters to Head DOT
A Senate panel has approved Mary E. Peters to be the next secretary of the Department of Transportation
(DOT). Supporters expect the Senate to confirm Peters, the former head of the Arizona Department of
Transportation, before the end of the week. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee
voted Sept. 25 unanimously for Peters to head DOT, replacing Norman Y. Mineta, a former California
congressman and the only Democrat in the Bush cabinet. Peters also served as administrator of the Federal
Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005, and prior to that spent three years directing Arizona’s
DOT. Peters would be the second woman to head DOT. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., served as DOT secretary
from 1983 to 1987. To see more, got to: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/
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$3 Billion Set Aside for National Guard Equipment
The beleaguered National Guard got some good news this week when lawmakers set aside $3 billion in
the Fiscal Year 2007 defense spending bill to help replenish the Guard’s diminished domestic
equipment stocks. The funds were secured during House-Senate conference committee negotiations on the
defense appropriations bill and announced Sept. 25 by Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Kit Bond, R-Mo.,
co-chairs of the Senate National Guard Caucus. The funds will be set aside for the Army Guard and Army
Reserve to rebuild or replace aging and depleted equipment stocks. About $500 million was secured to
allow the Guard to purchase new vehicles, miscellaneous gear and communications systems essential for
homeland security purposes. The defense appropriations bill also includes $75 million for the Army
Guard and $75 million for the Air Guard to purchase high-priority items. Guard leaders have complained
equipment stocks in the United States are badly depleted. The bill includes a provision requiring the
Pentagon to provide Congress with a detailed accounting of funds spent to procure Guard equipment across
the Defense Department’s entire budget. To see more, go to: http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200609/092506a.html.
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