FederalDaily - November 30, 2007
Army Prepares for Funding Shortfall
With war funding stalled, the Army announced Nov. 28 that it has taken initial steps to plan for reduced
operations at all Army bases while Democratic lawmakers spar with the White House over spending levels
for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Gen. Richard A. Cody, vice chief of staff of the Army, directed
all Army commanders and agency directors in a Nov. 26 memorandum to begin planning for reduced Army-wide
operations. President Bush is seeking $196 billion in funds for Iraq and Afghanistan for FY 2008. Congressional
Democrats have offered to pass $50 billion of the requested funding, but with a requirement that most
U.S. troops leave Iraq by December 2008. The Army expects to exhaust all operation and maintenance
funds by Feb. 23, even after considering a request by DoD to move over $4 billion from Navy and Air
Force personnel accounts and the Army’s working capital fund, said Cody. Also, supervisors would
have to begin notifying Army civilians of any impending February furloughs by mid-December, Cody said
in a statement. “We will do everything we can to minimize the turbulence for our soldiers, civilians
and their families,” Cody said. To see more, go to: www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2007/11/28/6321-army-issues-instructions-to-prepare-for-funding-shortfall.
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NTEU Pans 3% Alternative Pay Plan
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) on Nov. 28 called a White House alternative pay plan “a
disservice” to federal employees because it would offer just a 3 percent raise for this fiscal
year. NTEU President Colleen Kelley said the administration’s pay proposal ignores bipartisan
congressional action that would establish a 3.5 percent federal pay increase in FY 2008. President
Bush this week endorsed an average 3 percent increase for federal employees under a federal law that
sets a Nov. 30 deadline for the submission of such pay plans. The president also has opposed a 3.5
percent pay raise for the military, but nonetheless signed the Defense appropriations bill which contained
just such a raise. The 3 percent raise is in line with what Bush proposed in his FY 2008 budget he
submitted in February, Kelley noted. “Each
year federal workers have to fight for a higher pay raise than the administration wants to give and
that is simply unacceptable,” Kelley said. “We are very optimistic that lawmakers will
soon pass pending legislation incorporating a 3.5 percent pay raise next year for the federal civil
service.” To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1186.
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Coalition Calls for Firing of Special Counsel Bloch
A coalition of whistleblower groups and current and former employees of the Office of Special Counsel
Special (OSC) are calling for the firing of OSC chief Scott Bloch in the wake of reports that Bloch
allegedly ordered the deletion of computer files believed to be critical to an Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) probe into his own conduct as Special Council. Debra S. Katz, an attorney representing
the coalition, called for Bloch’s dismissal in a Nov. 28 letter to President Bush. In that letter,
Katz accused Bloch with obstructing the OPM investigation, making false statements to Congress and
engaging in other improper and illegal activity. According to the Wall Street Journal, in
the midst of an ongoing OPM investigation Bloch hired a private computer-help company, Geeks on Call,
to delete agency computer files. Bloch said the firm’s work was to eradicate a computer virus,
but Katz pointed out that Bloch ordered a cleansing that was more comprehensive than necessary. If
Bush doesn’t fire Bloch, he should resign, said Jeff Ruch, executive director of the Public Employees
for Environmental Responsibility, which is part of the whistleblowers coalition. “It is critical
that federal whistleblowers have an official advocate who is credible and free from hidden agendas,” Ruch
said. To see more, go to: www.whistleblower.org.
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