FederalDaily - January 23, 2008
OMB to Make FISMA Reporting Changes
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) alerted agencies it will be making changes to Federal Information
Security Management Act (FISMA) requirements that mandate how agencies report on steps they take to
protect private information. In a Jan. 18 memo, OMB said the changes are aimed at enhancing the protection
of personal information and will go into effect at the end of this fiscal year. The changes are meant
to “maintain a comprehensive context for security and privacy of federal information across (the)
government,” the memo said. For example, the OMB will require agencies to submit the number
of each type of privacy review conducted during the last fiscal year, as well as information about
the advice provided by the senior agency official for privacy during the last fiscal year. Also, agencies
will be required to report the number of written complaints for each type of privacy issue allegation
received by the agency, and the disaggregated number of complaints the agency referred to another agency
with jurisdiction. To see more, go to: www.whitehouse.gov/omb/memoranda/fy2008/m08-09.pdf.
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USPS to Consider Outsourcing Some BMC Activities
The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) last week said it was notified that U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
officials are considering the outsourcing of some Bulk Mail Center (BMC) activities. According to information
on the union’s Web site, at a Jan. 9 meeting with APWU, USPS officials presented a “pre-decisional
briefing” on its Request for Information (RFI) concerning a Time-Definite Surface Network. Through
the RFI, issued last summer, USPS sought to gather market research and to identify interested private
companies with the ability to sort and transport parcels and standard mail—duties that currently
are performed in the BMC network. There was, however, also discussion at the meeting of the possible “in-sourcing” of
some functions that are currently performed by non-USPS employees, APWU said. “We believe that
in-sourcing these functions would moderate the negative impact on our members,” said APWU President
William Burrus. He noted that the BMC RFI underscores the importance of passing the Mail Network Protection
Act (H.R. 4236), which would require USPS to bargain with the union before implementing significant
subcontracting. To see more, go to: http://apwu.org/news/webart/2008/webart-0807-bmc-080122.htm.
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Threats to Federal Judge Result In Extra Time For Inmate
A Georgia state prison inmate received an extra 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to mailing
a threatening communication to a federal judge and making false statements to federal officials investigating
the matter. Michael Disch, 38, originally from Wheaton, Ill., was incarcerated at the time a series
of threats were mailed to two federal judges. According to U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias and the information
presented in court, on Jan. 5, 2007, Disch, mailed a threatening letter to a federal judge in Atlanta
and included a white powdery substance in the envelope (which later tested negative). Then, on May
17, Disch sent another threatening letter to the federal judge who had accepted his guilty plea to
charges stemming from the Jan. 5 letter, Nahmias said. Disch also admitted he lied to FBI agents investigating
the May 17 letter. As part of a plea agreement covering both crimes, he was sentenced to 10 years for
the threats and five years (to be served consecutively) on the false statements charge. To see more,
go to: www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan/press/2008/01-17-08b.pdf.
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