FederalDaily - June 20, 2007
Dingell, Stupak Critical of FDA Analyst Cutbacks
Two key lawmakers questioned Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to cut 196 microbiologists,
chemists and engineers—about 37 percent of the laboratory analysts in the agency’s Office
of Regulatory Affairs (ORA)—as part of a controversial ORA lab closing effort. In a June 15 letter
to FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach, Reps. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee, and Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the Oversight and Investigation subcommittee,
said they found the proposed cuts to be “deeply disturbing.” The staffing cuts came to
light as the House committee staff sifted through documents provided by the agency concerning its proposed
closure of seven of 13 ORA labs across the country. The lawmakers, who have been vocal in their opposition
to the closings, said in the letter that while they are “concerned with many aspects of the laboratory
closure plan, we are particularly troubled with the plan to drastically cut the number of laboratory
analysts.” To see more, go to: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_110/110-ltr.061507.FDA.Lab%20Closures.pdf
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Group Says State Department Proposal Would Curtail FSO Rights
An advocacy group concerned with security clearance issues said a new State Department proposal to
suspend without pay employees whose clearance has been questioned will have the effect of sharply curtailing
their rights. The group, Concerned Foreign Service Officers (CFSO), said the proposal would most seriously
impact State Department Foreign Service Officers (FSO) whose clearances have been suspended. The State
Department has suggested that Congress include language in the 2008 Foreign Relations Act that allows
the agency to immediately stop paying employees whose clearance has been suspended, regardless of whether
the employee has appealed the suspension. Although the proposal is similar to rules at other federal
agencies, the State Department’s due-process and investigative procedures are not adequate, CFSO
said in a June 18 statement. Also, FSOs are not allowed to appeal their suspensions to an independent
outside agency or a federal court—rights enjoyed by other federal workers, CFSO said. To see
more, go to: www.worldcrafters.com
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Passport Workers Union Files Unfair Labor Charge
The union representing federal Passport Agency workers has filed an unfair labor practice charge over
a State Department plan to allow private contractors to process passport applications. On June 8, the
State Department began using private contractors to process applications at the Philadelphia Passport
Agency without bargaining with the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) Local 1998, the
union said in a statement. The union said that determining identity, citizenship and qualifications
for a U.S. passport is a job for government employees, not private outside contractors. NFFE said bringing
in private contractors is not effective because the time spent training the outside personnel could
be better spent by passport workers in reducing the massive application backlog. Also, errors made
by the new personnel could harm customer service—or worse yet, issue passports to those who don’t
really qualify, the union said. To see more, go to: http://nffe1998.org/news_WHTI.htm
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