Federal Daily - March 11, 2009

Obama Issues Memo Separating Science, Political Policy

President Obama on March 9 signed an executive memorandum calling for a new strategy to insulate the scientific findings of federal agencies from political pressure. The memorandum, issued in conjunction with an executive order lifting previous stem cell research restrictions, directs the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a strategy within six months. Federal labor groups have complained that the previous administration allowed conservative politics to dictate scientific policy, and that government scientists felt their findings were being diluted by political appointees. “Today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation. It’s time we once again put science at the top of our agenda,” Obama said in the statement. Specifically, the memo aims to ensure that political officials do not suppress or alter scientific findings, that scientists and technology professionals hired by the executive branch are well-qualified, that whistleblowers are protected and that each agency has appropriate rules and procedures in place to ensure the integrity of the scientific process. To see more, go to: www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Fact-Sheet-on-Presidential-Memorandum-on-Scientific-Integrity.

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TRICARE Updates Post-Deployment Assistance Web Site

TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) on March 9 announced upgrades to its post-deployment Web site designed to help servicemembers and their families readjust to life after a return home from a combat zone. Launched last year, the site, www.afterdeployment.org, was designed to provide strategies and educational materials that address a range of post-deployment issues, including combat stress; conflict at work; reconnecting with family and friends; living with physical injuries; and health and wellness. The updated Web site features workshops in its “Improving Relationships” program, as well self-help workshops and activities in its “Helping Kids Deal with Deployment,” “Seeking Spiritual Fitness,” and “Controlling Drugs and Alcohol” sections. “Users report very positive feelings about the usefulness and quality of information available on Afterdeployment.org,” said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, TMA deputy director. “It’s a free resource that can be very helpful for veterans transitioning back from their deployment.” To see more, go to: www.tricare.mil/pressroom/news.aspx?fid=512.

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