FederalDaily - April 5, 2007

Report: Big Spending Agencies Are Least Transparent

A new study released April 3 reveals that the most heavily funded federal agencies are the least transparent, especially in showing how their work benefits the public. The study, the eighth annual one by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, examines the annual performance reports of 24 federal agencies. Researchers used 12 criteria in three general categories to evaluate the reports—transparency of reporting, the extent to which public benefits are communicated, and leadership in using performance information to improve agency work. Researchers found that agencies that scored below satisfactory on their reporting efforts spent 87 percent of federal appropriations—$2.18 trillion. Of that, almost $800 billion was spent by the four lowest-ranking agencies—the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and the Office of Personnel Management. According to the report, the top four agencies in terms of accountability were the Departments of Transportation, Labor, Veterans Affairs and State. The General Services Administration and the Department of Education improved their rankings this year, the report said. For more, go to: www.mercatus.org/Publications/pubID.3811/pub_detail.asp.

:: Back to Top ::

New Commerce Department Order Restricts Speech, Group Says

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) on April 3 published on its Web site a new Commerce Department administrative order the group says will restrict federal climate, weather and marine scientists in what they can say to the media or in public. According to the group, the rules—posted by the department on March 29—require federal scientists “to obtain agency pre-approval to speak or write, whether on or off duty, concerning any scientific topic deemed ‘of official interest.’” Of particular interest to PEER, the administrative order covers the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which includes the National Weather Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. PEER said that while the order is “couched in rhetoric” about the need for open dissemination of research results, the new order in fact effectively “forbids agency scientists from communicating any relevant information, even if prepared and delivered on their own time as private citizens, which has not been approved by the official chain-of-command.” PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch called the order “ridiculous.” Under the new policy, he said, “National Weather Service scientists can only give out name, rank, serial number and the temperature.” The order takes effect 45 days after posting. For more, go to: www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=841.

:: Back to Top ::

NTEU: DHS Proposal Would Hurt Agency Mission

National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) President Colleen Kelley has urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to heed mounting opposition and give up its effort to push through new personnel rules that she says not only would hurt DHS employees, but also would harm the agency’s national security mission. Kelley was responding to the department’s announced intention to implement certain parts of its regulations dealing with adverse actions, appeals and performance management. Kelley, in what the union characterized on April 3 as “a lengthy letter” to the department’s chief human capital officer, said the proposed regulatory changes “constitute a needless reduction in the ability of employees to protect themselves from unfair treatment in the workplace.” And that, she said, would worsen morale that already is at “an exceptionally low point.” In the letter, Kelley encouraged DHS to acknowledge growing opposition to the plan in Congress and abandon the proposals. The union pointed out that a week earlier the House Homeland Security Committee adopted in its markup of the FY 2008 authorization bill for the agency an amendment that would repeal the personnel management flexibilities provided to DHS in the 2002 Homeland Security Act, which created the department. The union called the bill “a blueprint for further congressional action.” For more, go to: www.nteu.org.

:: Back to Top ::