Federal Eye - February 13, 2011

Federal pay amendment to House spending bill fails

An aggressive House spending plan passed early Saturday doesn't include any amendments curtailing the pay or benefits of federal employees or cutting the size of the federal workforce.

By Ed O'Keefe and Felicia Sonmez | February 19, 2011; 12:31 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues
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What would a government shutdown look like? (Video)

The Federal Eye joined Friday's "Fox 5 Morning News" to discuss the possibility of a federal government shutdown and what it might mean for federal agencies and workers.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 18, 2011; 1:19 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Government Shutdown, Video Report
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Darrell Issa wants to freeze some federal worker raises

Buried amid the hundreds of proposed amendments to a Republican-backed government spending measure is a proposal to prohibit federal agencies from giving pay raises to workers who get a promotion.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 18, 2011; 11:06 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues
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Report: Less than 6% of federal workers telework

Almost two months after President Obama signed a bill requiring federal agencies to develop telework plans for employees, new government figures show that less than 6 percent of federal workers are using the option on a regular basis.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 18, 2011; 6:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (19)
Categories: Workplace Issues
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Coburn reintroduces bill to fire tax-delinquent federal workers

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is reintroducing a bill that would allow federal agencies to fire employees who don't pay their taxes.

By T.W. Farnam | February 17, 2011; 5:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (30)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues
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Alaska senator, race director, blast TSA's Iditarod decision

Alaska's senior senator is howling with anger over the Transportation Security Administration's decision to withdraw a partnership deal with the annual Iditarod dog race.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 17, 2011; 3:10 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Congress
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Postal Service unveils greeting cards with prepaid postage

In its ongoing efforts to generate new business, the U.S. Postal Service is teaming up with Hallmark Cards to sell greeting cards that already include postage.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 17, 2011; 10:41 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Postal Service
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What might a government shutdown look like?

If President Obama and congressional Republicans fail to agree soon on how to fund the final seven months of the fiscal year, some veterans might not receive benefits checks and other Americans would be unable to apply for Social Security. The State Department might not issue new passports, unemployment statistics would not publish as scheduled.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 17, 2011; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (179)
Categories: Budget, Eye Opener, Government Shutdown
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TSA drops Iditarod recruitment plans after PETA complains

The Transportation Security Administration is canceling plans to recruit new workers at this year's Iditarod dog race in Alaska after animal rights activists complained the agency was sponsoring a "cruel" event.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 16, 2011; 2:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Agencies and Departments
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Boehner's 'So be it' line revives debate on how to tally federal workers

House Speaker John Boehner's nonchalant reaction Tuesday to the prospect of federal job cuts sparked furor among supporters of the federal workforce, but also demonstrated the difficulty in tracking the number of people collecting government paychecks.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 16, 2011; 1:13 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues
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Is the GAO boss not giving enough credit?

Gene L. Dodaro, head of the Government Accountability Office, writes on the pages of today's New York Times (boo!) about his agency's biennial assessment of poor-performing government agencies and programs.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 16, 2011; 12:36 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: FY-Eye, Oversight
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FEMA invites executives to work at headquarters

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has begun inviting private-sector executives to work at its headquarters for the first time, part of the agency's renewed outreach to corporate America and a tacit acknowledgment that government cannot handle disasters alone.

By Ylan Q. Mui | February 16, 2011; 12:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, From The Pages of The Post
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Darrell Issa was on to something

Liberal groups are launching a crusade against Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and his Democratic colleagues don't like his leadership of the House Oversight Committee, but he deserves some credit today for spotting a problem before most people noticed.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 16, 2011; 6:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: Congress, Eye Opener, Oversight
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GAO report details mismanaged federal programs

Fresh concerns with how the Interior Department manages the nation's oil and gas resources are joining a closely-watched list of the government's most at-risk offices and programs, according to a watchdog report set for release on Wednesday.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 15, 2011; 6:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Oversight
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Senate defeats measure that would have denied TSA workers collective bargaining rights

The Senate on Tuesday rejected an amendment that would have blocked Transportation Security Administration employees from having collective bargaining rights, handing a victory to Democrats and labor groups.

By Felicia Sonmez | February 15, 2011; 5:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues, unions
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John Boehner: If federal jobs are lost, 'So be it'

House Speaker John Boehner suggested Tuesday he doesn't care if federal employees lose their jobs in the coming years because the federal government can't afford them anyway.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 15, 2011; 1:32 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (122)
Categories: Congress, Workplace Issues
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Reagan Building partially reopens after fire

Most of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center has reopened after an early morning fire Tuesday in the building's food court.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 15, 2011; 11:25 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Agencies and Departments, Workplace Issues
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Federal Budget 2012: Tell us what you think

Live chat Tuesday at 11 a.m. on the president's budget

By Lisa Rein | February 15, 2011; 10:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Budget
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Federal Budget 2012: 15,000 more federal workers?

Despite the focus on cutting back the size and scope of government, the Obama administration's proposed 2012 budget would add about 15,000 employees to the federal payroll when compared to the estimates for the current fiscal year.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 15, 2011; 9:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Budget, Workplace Issues
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The Valentine's Day budget (Video)

The Federal Eye spoke with Morris Jones on Monday's "Capital Insider" about President Obama's proposed 2012 federal budget.

By Ed O'Keefe | February 15, 2011; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budget, Video Report
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Postal Service on tap for $11B break in 2012 budget

President Obama's proposed 2012 budget doesn't say anything about raising stamp prices, ending Saturday mail deliveries or closing post offices, but it does attempt to remedy the perilous financial condition of the U.S. Postal Service by recommending about $11...

By Ed O'Keefe | February 15, 2011; 6:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Budget, Eye Opener, Postal Service
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Federal Eye: February 13, 2011 - February 19, 2011