FederalDaily - October 29, 2007

Web Site Offers Voting Aid to Overseas Servicemembers, Civilians

A new Internet-based voter services Web site offers help to the more than 6 million Americans—members of the military and civilians living overseas—to vote in upcoming elections. The site, a project of the Pew Charitable Trusts (PCT), is partly in response to a recent government report which showed that between two-thirds and one-half of the ballots mailed to overseas voters were not returned in time to be counted for the 2006 election. Complicating matters are inconsistent requirements adopted by the states, PCT said in an Oct. 25 statement. The Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) offers a user-friendly online system to automate the process facing overseas voters attempting to register and request absentee ballots. Also, OVF provides a comprehensive and up-to-date listing of local election office contact information. “Unfortunately, when military personnel and other citizens overseas try to vote, there is a good chance that their votes won't get counted," said Michael Caudell-Feagan, project director of Make Voting Work, an OVF partner. "Americans living abroad deserve a system that allows each voter to confidently register and submit his/her ballot." To see more, go to: www.overseasvotefoundation.org.

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Partnership Launches Campaign to Improve Fed Recruitment

The Partnership for Public Service on Oct. 26 launched a nationwide public education campaign, Making the Difference, to highlight to college graduates the benefits of joining the federal work force. The campaign kicked off at George Washington University and hundreds of other college campuses across the country. The partnership pointed to the advantages of federal employment, including generous benefits, retention incentives, relocation incentives, graduate school scholarships and student loan repayments. Also, a new law will forgive federal employees' student loans after 10 years of service, the group reminded potential job seekers.  The campaign notes that nearly 193,000 mission-critical federal jobs need to be filled in the next two years across about 2,000 job categories. To see more, go to: http://ourpublicservice.org/OPS/events.

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House Passes Veterans Legislation

The House last week passed a package of bills to benefit veterans, including a measure to develop and implement a comprehensive program designed to reduce the incidence of suicide among former servicemembers. H.R. 327, the Joshua Omvig Veterans Suicide Prevention Act, would establish a veterans’ suicide prevention program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., said on Oct. 23.  H.R. 327 has already been approved in the Senate and is to be sent to President Bush for his signature, Filner said. The president is expected to sign it. “One of the most pressing issues facing our returning service men and women is mental health care, and I believe that H.R. 327 provides help to those in need,” said Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. “If we send our men and women off to war, we must, as a nation, do all we can to address their health care needs when they return.” To see more, go to: http://veterans.house.gov/news/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=150.

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