Wondering how the next Congress is going to approach acquisition issues? Answer: More oversight. That’s what Cathy Garman, a professional staff member for the House Armed Services Committee, said today at a panel discussion hosted by Venable, a Washington, D.C. law firm. The discussion centered on the acquisition management priorities of the next Congress and the next administration. Garman noted that Congress approved several changes to procurement regulations and procedures through the Defense authorization bills in recent years. The 111th Congress is going to make sure those changes have been enacted. Among the congressionally mandated changes topping the oversight list:…
Pining to know what the Environmental Protection Agency is up to while you’re away from your desk? Well, the agency has a solution for you: A Web site tailored specifically for cell phone users, m.epa.gov. This pared-down, text-only site will let the mobile user access agency contact information, find environmental information by ZIP code, read news releases and access the agency’s blog Greenversations. The agency said in a news release that it plans to add more features later. EPA is the latest agency to launch a site that’s easy to load and view on mobile devices. You can find a…
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is holding a hearing on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — specifically, why they got so involved in the subprime mortgage market. The hearing itself isn’t terribly interesting, but the committee released some fascinating documents. They include a June 2005 internal report (pdf) produced at Fannie Mae that chronicles Fannie’s first forays into subprime mortgages. The report advises Fannie to “pursue ‘underground’ efforts to develop a subprime infrastructure”: If we do not seriously invest in these “underground” type efforts and the market changes prove to be secular, we risk becoming a niche player;…
Elise mentioned last week that procurement reform is a top priority for Defense secretary Robert Gates. Gates expands on that idea in a lengthy article on defense strategy in the January/February issue of Foreign Affairs. He notes that “resources are not unlimited,” and argues that current procurement focuses on buying smaller amounts of more and more expensive military equipment. The Defense Department has to consider whether in situations in which the United States has total air dominance, it makes sense to employ lower-cost, lower-tech aircraft that can be employed in large quantities and used by U.S. partners. This is already…
The open season for the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program is being extended through the end of January due to a dustup over billing for out-of-network surgeries. Previously, participants would have had to make their choice by the end of today. But what about people who made a choice before learning of Blue Cross Blue Shield’s controversial billing system, and now want to change their plan? Are they out of luck? Don’t worry, said Michael Orenstein of the Office of Personnel Management. Even if you’ve already chosen a plan, you can change your mind as many times as you want…
Federal building managers already are buzzing over President-elect Barack Obama’s plan, announced in his weekend radio address, to make public buildings more energy efficient. Obama said he would launch a “massive effort” to upgrade federal buildings with new heating systems and more efficient light bulbs to help jumpstart the economy. Additional details will be released in coming weeks, with the hope that Congress will pass the plan immediately after reconvening in January. Agencies already are under intense pressure to meet existing energy reduction mandates, so the announcement that more requirements are forthcoming was a “curveball,” said Mark Ewing, who manages energy consumption…
Our lead story this week is from an interview with Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff, who talks about reorganizing the department, lessons learned from the Mumbai attacks, and the top challenges facing his likely successor, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. We’ve posted a few video excerpts from the interview — here’s Chertoff on reorganizing DHS: You can view more clips of the interview — which also included Coast Guard commandant Adm. Thad Allen — right here.
Exactly 75 years ago today, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which lifted the national prohibition on the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption, was ratified.
Apparently the grape is the key to economic recovery for western New York. That’s according to a news release from the office of Sen. Charles Schumer, who has pledged to fight for federal funding for the Grape Heritage Discovery Center in Westfield, N.Y. The release states that the center would promote wine tourism in New York and showcase Chautauqua County’s grape and wine industry, creating jobs through increased tourism. It will be patterned after the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center, which the release says attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year. Schumer, a Democrat, said he’ll push for funding through…
The president-elect hinted on Monday that he would keep FEMA inside the Homeland Security Department. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff said yesterday that the alternative — pulling FEMA out as a separate agency — would be a mistake. Today, two prominent senators voiced their support for keeping FEMA where it is. In a letter to the New York Times, Sens. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., and Susan Collins, R-Maine — the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee — said FEMA needs to stay inside DHS. The agency still needs improvement, but our reforms are working: FEMA’s…