FederalDaily - March 1, 2007
Senators Band to Oppose TSA Collective Bargaining
Thirty-six senators have signed a letter to President Bush objecting to a measure within the 9/11
Commission Recommendations bill which would provide collective bargaining rights for employees of the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According
to Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., it appears Republicans have garnered enough votes in the Senate to sustain
a presidential veto of the bill, S. 4, if the bill includes the TSA provision. In January, the White
House made veiled veto threats. Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union,
took issue with the senators’ complaint that TSA bargaining rights would threaten public safety. “Federal
workers represented by a union have no right to strike,” she said on Feb. 28, “and any
statement to the contrary is patently false.” In no past instance have collective bargaining
rights hindered the federal government’s emergency response capability, Kelley said. “Every
union contract with federal agencies recognizes management’s right to assign and detail workers
as necessary,” she said, adding that “management flexibility in times of crisis is set
in statute.” To see more, including the list of signatories, go to: http://demint.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=447&Month=2&Year=2007
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Lawmaker Asks FBI for Plan to Protect Its Whistleblowers
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has given FBI Director Robert Mueller seven days to deliver the agency’s
plans on disciplining supervisors who have been found to retaliate against agents who report wrongdoing. The
March 7 deadline is contained in a letter Grassley sent to Mueller in the wake of a Minnesota jury
verdict in favor of Special Agent Jane Turner. The jury agreed with Turner, who complained that FBI
supervisors allegedly falsified negative performance reviews in retaliation for her filing an Equal
Employment Opportunity complaint. “It’s time for the supervisors who retaliated against
Jane Turner, and any other whistleblower for that matter, to be held accountable,” Grassley wrote
to Mueller. “I am anxious to find out what the FBI will do to demonstrate (its) commitment to
protecting FBI whistleblowers is more than just words.” Specifically, Grassley asked what disciplinary
actions were being considered against Turner’s supervisors and how many FBI supervisors have
been disciplined for acts of retaliation over the past five years. To see more, go to: http://grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=5282&Month=2&Year=2007
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Durbin Bill Would Aid Veterans' Survivors
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., introduced a measure that would expand educational cash benefits available
for the families of combat veterans who die or are permanently and totally disabled in action. The
Veterans’ Survivors Education Enhancement Act would provide a veteran’s surviving spouse
and each dependent with an $80,000 benefit, Durbin said Feb. 27. Currently, a surviving spouse or dependent
only receives financial assistance from the federal government if they attend college or a trade school
on a full-time basis—for a maximum of about $38,000. Durbin's legislation would eliminate the
full-time rule and increase the benefit to $80,000.The benefits can be used for any education-related
expenses, including tuition, fees, books and room and board. Also, benefits could be used toward apprenticeships,
institutional courses, correspondence courses, special educational assistance and farm cooperative
programs. To see more, go to: http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=269767
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