FederalDaily - January 17, 2007
Lawmaker Urges Bush To Fill Vacant Census Posts
As the Census Bureau begins to ramp up for the 2010 decennial count, lawmakers are urging President
Bush to quickly fill high-level vacancies at the bureau with seasoned, nonpartisan professionals. Rep.
Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., along with 14 other members of Congress, sent a letter to the president asking
for replacements for Census Director Louis Kincannon and his top deputy, Hermann Habermann—who
both abruptly resigned on the same day in November. Already facing budget cuts that may hamper its
work, the bureau has been in flux since the resignations, Maloney said Jan. 12. “Without adequate
funding and without a new director or permanent career deputy, the Census is like a rudderless ship,
and an accurate count in 2010 is in serious jeopardy,” said Maloney. “I have a real concern
that the president intends to fill the top vacancies at Census with partisan hacks instead of seasoned
statisticians.” Other members of Congress joining Maloney in the call to fill the slots were
Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., Charles Gonzales, D-Texas, Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, and Barney Frank,
D-Mass. To see more, go to:
http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1263&Itemid=61.
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NTEU Seeks Injunction Against CBP in Firing of Councilman
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) filed papers in federal court seeking to prevent the
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from discharging a CBP officer who wants to continue
serving as an elected city councilman in Presidio, Texas. Jaime Ramirez, first elected to the unpaid,
nonpartisan position in 2004—with CBP’s approval—is facing discharge, NTEU said on
Jan. 16. Last year, all candidates for Presidio City Council were unopposed and were installed in office
without an election in this remote border town of about 6,000. Then in December, CBP headquarters announced
that approval for employees to hold public office would have to come from CBP higher-ups in Washington.
Ramirez was ordered to resign either his seat on the council or his CBP position. The cited reason
was an alleged appearance of a conflict of interest, NTEU said. NTEU’s lawsuit argues that CBP
has failed to identify any actual conflicts of interest or situations that would create an appearance
of a conflict of interest under federal regulations that justify its action. Federal employees have
the clear right to hold nonpartisan elected offices under the Hatch Act and its implementing regulations,
said NTEU President Colleen Kelley. Ramirez is facing a Feb. 8 CBP deadline. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org.
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Chertoff Names New Homeland Security Advisors
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff appointed five new members to the Homeland Security Advisory
Council and its senior advisory committees on Jan. 11—including Louis Freeh, former director
of the FBI. Chertoff made the appointments at the quarterly meeting of the committee, comprised of
experts from state and local governments, academia and the private sector. The committee serves as
a sounding board for Chertoff on homeland security issues. Other appointees: Robert L. Woodson, Sr.,
president of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise; Joe Zarelli, a state senator from Washington;
Jean Spence, executive vice president, Global Technology and Quality Kraft Foods; and Dan Corsentino
the former Sheriff of Pueblo County, Colo. To see more, go to: www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1168622109095.shtm.
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