FederalDaily - December 15, 2006

Congressman Seeks ‘Troops to Teachers’ Reform

A second lawmaker has announced legislation that eases restrictions on retiring military personnel who want to start second careers as school teachers. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., said he is sponsoring legislation to correct a drafting error in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) federal reforms that restricted veterans to teaching just in high-need schools. Under NCLB, the number of eligible school districts in Montana school districts was reduced by more than half, from 324 to 146, Rehberg said. “This bill will relieve the burden on rural schools seeking to benefit from the Troops to Teachers program,” said Rehberg.  “Now more than ever, our schools need the very best teachers and Troops to Teachers helps accomplish that goal.” A similar bill was introduced Nov. 15 by Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis. The Troops to Teachers program was originally created in 1994 to help recent military retirees find teaching positions, and has aided almost 10,000 veterans in obtaining teaching certificates. To see more, go to:  www.house.gov/list/press/mt00_rehberg/121306_MilitaryTeachers.html

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New NIH Web Site Offers Licensing for Rare Diseases

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a new Web site to speed the development of therapies for rare diseases by making it easier for pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions to commercialize federally funded research. The new Web site was developed under the auspices of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer, which evaluates and manages the NIH and Food and Drug Administration intramural invention portfolios. The site currently lists more than 500 such technologies—including drugs, biologics and devices—that are available for transfer to a commercial or academic concern, said NIH Director Elias Zerhouni. “By making it much easier for pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions to identify licensing opportunities, this new site will help facilitate the transfer of research advances from bench to bedside,” Zerhouni said. A rare (or orphan) disease is defined in the Orphan Drug Act as a condition affecting fewer than 200,000 in the United States or one for which no profitable drug/therapy exists or can be developed. To see more, go to: www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec2006/ord-11.htm

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DoD Announces Realignments in Germany

DoD announced on Dec. 14 that it will return a number of Army communications, training, support and housing sites to Germany in Fiscal Year 2007. The department said the capabilities provided by the facilities were no longer needed “in light of today’s security environment” and the realignment of the European Command’s force structure. Sites that will be returned to Germany include digital European backbone sites in Melibokus, Koenigstuhl, Stocksberg, Bonstetten, Friolzheim, Hohenstadt and Heidenheim; the Brandhof and Reinwarzhofen radio relay sites, Ansback; the Hohe Warte Local Training Area, Giessen; the Amberg Family Housing and Pond Barracks, Vilseck; Blink Family Housing, Bremerhaven; Darby Kaserne, Nuernberg; the Edingen Radio Receiver, Heidelberg; Gruenstadt Communications Station, Mannheim; and a partial return of the unaccompanied officer quarters Osterfelderstrasse Housing Area, Garmisch.

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