FederalDaily - July 23, 2007
Judge Extends MaxHR Report Deadline to 2008
A U.S. district court judge extended by six months a deadline for the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) to report its plans to her on proposed revisions to the agency’s controversial MaxHR personnel
system. Judge Rosemary Collyer, of the U.S. District Court for D.C., on July 17 extended the deadline
to Jan. 17, 2008, for the court-ordered status report to her. Collyer had overturned portions of the
system formerly known as MaxHR—but now called the Human
Capital Operational Plan, or HCOP—upon a challenge by federal labor unions. The U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled last year that portions of MaxHR were illegal and upheld
an injunction imposed by Collyer. In particular, the court found that MaxHR's limitations on collective
bargaining violated statutory requirements and that the plan was “utterly unreasonable.” Prior
to Collyer’s decision, President Colleen Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union had
said on July 16 that rather than wait another six months, DHS should just abandon this effort to impose
an “unnecessary and regressive system on its employees.” Congress has attempted to eliminate
the program by taking away its funding—the House provided no money for the system for FY 2008,
while the Senate Appropriations Committee provided FY 2008 funding of $5 million, compared to President
Bush’s request of $71 million. To see more, go to:
www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1127
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Bush Names Morford to No. 2 Spot at DOJ
President Bush on July 18 named Craig S. Morford, the U.S. attorney in Nashville, Tenn., to become
acting deputy attorney general, the No. 2 spot at the Justice Department (DOJ). He will replace Paul
McNulty, who announced his resignation in May in the wake of questions over the firings of eight U.S.
attorneys—which critics claim were politically motivated. Morford is a career prosecutor who
is best known for his case against former Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, convicted in 2002 of accepting
bribes and gifts from businessmen. Morford will hold the job in an acting capacity—which does
not require confirmation—and it not clear whether Bush intends to nominate Morford for the job
on a permanent basis. Morford has a law degree from Valparaiso University and a B.A. from Hope College
in Holland, Mich. To see more, go to: www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2007/July/07_ag_513.html
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Union Applauds House Action to Block FDA Lab Closings
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) applauded a move by the House Appropriations Committee
to eliminate all funding for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plan to close more than half of its
regional laboratories. In a committee markup on July 19 of the FY 2008 FDA appropriations bill, the
panel included language providing no funds for the FDA to close the labs as part of any reorganization
of its Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), noted NTEU President Colleen Kelley. Earlier this year,
the FDA started making plans to consolidate 13 regional laboratories and close as many as half of them,
forcing out some employees. The agency has proposed closing its labs in Denver, Detroit, Kansas City,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, Winchester, Mass., and San Juan, P.R.. “This is a very positive
step for the agency and its employees, and an important move to address the safety of the nation’s
food supply,” said Kelley. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1133
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