FederalDaily - August 28, 2007
Attorney General Gonzales Resigns
Embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who had long ignored critics’ calls for him to
step down, tendered his resignation Aug 27. Gonzales notified President Bush on Friday of his intention
to resign, according to published accounts. The president had repeatedly stood by Gonzales and just
last month defended him at a press conference. Critics have been calling for Gonzales’ resignation
since questions were raised earlier this year about whether he testified truthfully about the National
Security Agency’s surveillance programs. Criticism of Gonzales later increased in the wake of
questions over whether politics within the Department of Justice played a role in the firings of nine
top federal prosecutors. In a hearing in July, Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont said Gonzales
had “lost the confidence of the Congress and the American people.” Sen. Arlen Specter,
R-Pa., was far more pointed, telling the attorney general during the hearing: “I don't trust
you.” Gonzales is the fourth high-ranking administration official to leave since last fall. His
resignation, which is effective Sept. 17, comes just two weeks after the resignation of Bush advisor
Karl Rove. The temporary replacement for Gonzales is Solicitor General Paul Clement, who will serve
until a permanent replacement is found. To see more, go to: www.usdoj.gov.
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OPM Issues New Rules as Part of Retirement Upgrade
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has proposed a new set of rules as part of its Retirement
Systems Modernization (RSM) project, which is intended to streamline retirement processes by converting
to an electronic records-based system. Among other things, the rules would speed up processes by allowing
OPM to gather important information, like employees’ signatures, electronically. The modernization
project is intended to upgrade the quality and speed of services to federal retirees and the more than
3 million active employees in the Federal Employees Retirement System and the Civil Service Retirement
System. Under the current paper-based system, it often takes months for retired federal employees to
receive the correct annuity payment, OPM said. Implementation of RSM is slated to begin in February
2008, according to OPM, and retirement and insurance records of current employees and annuitants will
be migrated into the system in a series of waves. The proposed rules are open to public comment until
Sept. 17. To see more, go to: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-16256.pdf
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Army Offers Bonus for CIC Special Agents
The Army is offering $20,000 lump-sum bonuses to active servicemembers who complete the Criminal Investigation
Command (CIC) Special Agent Warrant Officer Basic Course by Sept. 30, 2008. The Critical Skills Accession
Bonus (CSAB) is to help encourage qualified soldiers—especially qualified enlisted agents at
the staff sergeant level—to apply for warrant officer, the Army said in an Aug. 22 statement.
The bonuses will also help the Army meet the ever-present demand for special agents, according to Col.
Ben Grigsby, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) deputy chief of staff for support. CID is currently
below its target goal in warrant officers, but slightly over its goals for enlisted special agents. “Our
CID special agent authorizations will increase in Fiscal Year 2008 in order to fill several newly authorized
CID detachments,” Grigsby said. To see more, go to: www.army.mil/-news/2007/08/22/4523-become-a-special-agent-get-20k
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