Federal Daily - January 31, 2008

Kennedy, Waxman Seek GAO Probe of FDA Budget

In light of growing concern over the safety of the nation’s food and drug supplies, two senior lawmakers are asking the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to determine whether the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) budget has kept pace and allowed it to hire enough staff. In a Jan. 29 letter, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asked GAO to look into FDA’s resources, staffing and budget. The lawmakers noted that a report from the FDA Science Board—not yet released—is highly critical of the agency for shortfalls in staffing and information technology. “We found that FDA’s resource shortfalls have resulted in a plethora of inadequacies that threaten our society,” said a portion of the report referenced in the lawmakers’ letter. “We conclude that FDA can no longer fulfill its mission without substantial and sustained additional appropriations.” Despite its growing list of responsibilities and accompanying needs, FDA’s budget has declined in real terms in recent years, the legislators said. “FDA appears to lack enough personnel that possess the sets of skills necessary to meet the increasing demands on the agency,” the letter said. To see more, go to: http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20080129124616.pdf.

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Kessler Elected as Chair of Postal Service Board of Governors

Attorney Alan C. Kessler was elected chairman of the Postal Service Board of Governors on Jan. 30, the board announced. Kessler, who is a partner in a Philadelphia law firm, succeeds James C. Miller III. Kessler was appointed to the board in 2000 by President Clinton to a term that expires in December, and has served as vice chairman since 2005. Also at the meeting, Austin, Texas, businesswoman Carolyn Lewis Gallagher was elected vice chairman of the board. Gallagher was named to the board by President Bush in 2004. Gallagher, former CEO of Texwood Furniture, served in 2003 on the President’s Commission on the U.S. Postal Service. To see more, go to: www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/bog.htm.

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IRS Nominee Commits to Hiring 1,000 War Vets

The man nominated to head the IRS has made a commitment to hire 1,000 veterans of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for vacancies at the tax agency during the upcoming fiscal year. Douglas Shulman, the nominee to be IRS commissioner, said he would support a veteran-first hiring plan presented by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Jan. 29. IRS anticipates losing a significant number of experienced personnel and skilled staff to retirement over the next few years, Grassley said, and it makes sense for the tax agency to pursue this kind of opportunity “to help veterans and improve taxpayer services.” To see more, go to: http://grassley.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Home.

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