FederalDaily - December 3, 2007

HHS Reclaims Lead Role in FDA Employee Probes

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is reclaiming full authority to investigate potential ethical and criminal violations within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) workforce. In a letter released Nov. 29 by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, HHS Inspector General (IG) Daniel R. Levinson notified FDA that HHS was terminating a 1998 memorandum of understanding (MOU) which gave FDA’s Office of Internal Affairs shared authority to investigate potential misconduct by FDA employees. Levinson’s office now will handle such investigations. Levinson said that the move was made partly to “ensure integrity in the process of conducting sensitive employee misconduct investigations.” Levinson pointed out that his office can more appropriately handle sensitive internal employee misconduct inquiries at FDA because HHS IG investigators are entirely independent of the programs and officials being investigated. All cases are expected to be transferred by next April. Grassley applauded the move. “Cutting the tie is good for the public,” Grassley said. “It strengthens the role of the Inspector General.” To see more, go to: www.senate.gov/~finance/press/Gpress/2007/prg112907.pdf

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VA, DoD Launch Single-Evaluation Pilot

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and DoD on Nov. 29 announced the launch of a pilot program to test the viability of a new single disability evaluation system (DES) for wounded servicemembers. The year-long joint demonstration project is designed to eliminate duplicative elements of the current disability processes of the two departments. Key features of the DES pilot include one medical examination and a single-sourced disability rating, the departments said in a joint statement. The pilot program seeks to use the DES to ease the transition of wounded servicemembers back into civilian life with more efficient delivery of disability compensation. The project will be based at the three major military medical facilities in the Washington area: Walter Reed, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and the Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. VA will conduct the medical exams for the pilot. To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1426.

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NTEU Urges Boost of Fed Mileage Rate

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) on Nov. 29 urged the General Services Administration (GSA) to increase the mileage reimbursement rate to 50.5 cents per mile for federal workers who use their personal vehicles on official business. The increase from the current rate of 48.5 cents per mile would match the rate authorized by the IRS—beginning on Jan. 1, 2008—for taxpayers who deduct mileage for business purposes, said NTEU President Colleen Kelley. Immediate action was necessary in light of rapidly fluctuating gas prices, Kelley said, so that federal employees can benefit from the new reimbursement rate as soon at the new IRS rate becomes effective. “The previous government rate was not raised until February 2007, despite an early commitment by GSA to make the rates effective at the beginning of the year,” Kelley said. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1187

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