FederalDaily - July 30, 2007
GAO: USPS Needs to Collect Better Data in AMP Studies
The criteria the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) uses in selecting facilities for Area Mail Processing
(AMP) consolidation studies is unclear and not linked to actual delivery performance, said a new Government
Accountability Office report. The report, released last week, looked at the progress USPS has made
under its 2002 Transformation Plan, which is supposed to increase efficiency by realigning the USPS
mail processing network. USPS officials told auditors that most efficiencies had been made via the
AMP process, which is supposed to reduce excess machine capacity. However, the report recommended USPS
increase the transparency of the process it uses in choosing facilities for AMP. One unresolved problem
is the issue of delivery performance, the report said. Because of data limitations, USPS can’t
use delivery performance when making AMP decisions. In addition, USPS doesn’t use consistent
data calculations in making AMP decisions, the report said. “AMP communication processes do not
provide adequate notification to stakeholders,” the report said, “lack transparency into
how public input is considered and provide limited information to the public after decisions are made.” To
see more, go to: www.gao.gov/new.items/d07717.pdf
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VA Secretary Praises Dole-Shalala Panel
Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Jim Nicholson praised a presidential commission which recommended
a complete overhaul of the nation’s veterans care system, including a proposal to give the VA
more responsibility for awarding benefits. Nicholson said in a July 25 statement that the commission’s
recommendations will be addressed immediately by the Senior Oversight Committee, co-chaired by VA Deputy
Secretary Gordon H. Mansfield and Defense Deputy Secretary Gordon England. The presidential commission,
led by former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., and Donna Shalala, former Health and Human Services secretary
during the Clinton administration, issued a wide range of recommendations. Central to the commission
report were suggestions on helping wounded GIs get better care and expedited benefits processing. “I
look forward to reviewing the commission’s final report as we work to improve our efforts to
return our wounded warriors to full function,” Nicholson said, “while helping all veterans
receive the jobs and educational benefits they deserve.” To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1362
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NTEU’s Kelley Demands FDA Apology
The leader of a union representing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employees has demanded an apology
from a senior FDA official who sent an email to agency workers chastising them for being too critical
of FDA. In a July 24 letter to FDA Associate Commissioner Margaret Glavin, Colleen Kelley, president
of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), asked Glavin to apologize for the email. Kelley said
the email mischaracterized the congressional testimony of agency employees who were asked by lawmakers
about the agency’s ability to respond to food safety issues. Lawmakers were concerned over the
FDA’s proposed closing of seven of the agency’s 13 field labs around the country, which
NTEU said will diminish the agency’s ability to respond to food emergencies. “I find your
mischaracterization of this matter indicative of a lack of understanding of the results that will be
caused by this reckless proposal to close the labs. One cannot truly appreciate or be proud of the
work of employees when one is proposing to close their laboratories and terminate their employment,” Kelley
wrote. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1136
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