Federal Daily - March 23, 2009
USPS Announces Cutbacks
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) on March 20 announced it will close six of its 80 district offices, eliminate positions across the country and initiate another early retirement offer. The agency said it expects the moves to save more than $100 million a year. The six offices targeted for closure include those in Lake Mary, Fla, North Reading, Mass., Manchester, N.H.; Edison, N.J.; Erie, Pa,, and Spokane, Wash. USPS said the closures of the offices, which serve administrative functions, will not affect customer service or mail delivery. Ten nearby district offices will absorb the functions of the closed facilities. USPS also said it would cut administrative staff positions at the district level nationwide by 15 percent, and eliminate more than 1,400 mail processing supervisor and management positions at about 400 facilities around the country. Additionally, USPS said it will offer an early retirement option to about 150,000 employees. To see more, go to www.usps.com.
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Group Says IGs Needs to Pay More Attention to Whistleblowers
The Inspector General (IG) system needs to do a better job of listening to government whistleblowers’ claims of fraud, waste and abuse—and acting on those complaints, according to a new report by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO). The report, “Inspectors General: Accountability is a Balancing Act,” was issued on March 20. The report is the second in a series of POGO reports on the federal IG system, which now is made up of 67 IGs. The most troubling finding, according to the POGO report, is that IGs seem to take whistleblower allegations too lightly. The groups cited the example of Michael German—a 14-year FBI special agent who complained about irregularities in a counterterrorism investigation and stonewalling by his supervisors. Only after German had approached members of the Senate Judiciary Committee did the IG issue a report confirming his complaints, POGO said. “The most troubling finding was that IGs, the very offices charged by Congress with receiving complaints about agency problems, all too often treat those complainants or whistleblowers as mere afterthoughts,” the report said. To see more, go to: www.pogo.org/pogo-files/alerts/government-oversight/go-igi-20090320.html.
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PASS Critical of FAA’s NextGen Certification Policies
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) sharply criticized new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification guidelines the agency is implementing as it transitions from a ground-based air traffic control system to a satellite-based system. In a March 17 statement, PASS said it was concerned with how FAA was ramping up elements of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Specifically, it was concerned that FAA was contracting out significant parts of the NextGen system to private entities and deploying those elements without inspector certification. For example, one of the cornerstones of NextGen, the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast will be entirely owned by a private corporation—a significant change from past practices, PASS said. On certifications, for decades, FAA technicians have routinely evaluated and tested National Airspace System (NAS) equipment. However, a new policy mandate will allow NAS systems and services to be deployed without requiring certification, PASS said. “In essence, the FAA is attempting to eliminate inherently governmental functions in order to justify handing over the NAS to private contractors who are focused primarily on maximizing profits and meeting the absolute minimum of safety standards,” said PASS President Tom Brantley. To see more, go to: www.newsmgr.com/nm2/publish/pressrelease/FAA_TECHNICAL_EMPLOYEES
_TROUBLED_BY_FAA_ATTEMPTS_TO_ELIMINATE_CERTIFICATION.shtml.
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Bill Would Improve VA Health Care Benefits for Rural Vets
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., on March 19 introduced a bill that would—if passed into law—expand Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care benefits for veterans who live in rural areas. The bill would lock in the current travel reimbursement rate for disabled veterans who travel for health care at 41.5 cents per mile, which is up significantly from the 11 cents-per-mile rate of just two years ago, Tester said. The bill also would authorize VA to award grants to the Disabled American Veterans and other service groups that transport veterans to their medical appointments. And the legislation would direct VA to establish Indian health coordinators in areas with a high Native American veterans population. In addition, it would let VA work with community mental health centers to provide services to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in areas where VA is unable to provide mental health care. “There are a few big parts to this bill, but they all improve health care promised to the folks who fought for our country,” Tester said. http://tester.senate.gov/Newsroom/pr_031909_vetshealth.cfm.
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