Federal Daily - July 2, 2009
NFFE President Richard Brown Dies
National Federation of Federal Employees President Richard N. Brown has died, the union announced July 1. According to a notice posted on the union’s Web site by NFFE National Secretary Treasurer Bill Dougan, Brown, 47, was found unresponsive in his apartment in Arlington, Va., on June 30. “Rick was a strong advocate for federal employees,” Dougan wrote. “Never one to back down, Rick was a strong presence in the fight against several federal workforce initiatives aimed at contracting out federal government jobs and eliminating federal employees’ unions. His most impressive work was done in opposition to NSPS [National Security Personnel System]. Just last week, Rick gave impassioned testimony in opposition to NSPS before the Task Group of the Defense Business Board.” Brown’s accomplishments as national president included steering the union out of debt, orchestrating the union’s affiliation with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and helping to increase membership, the notice said. To see more, go to: www.nffe.org/ht/display/ReleaseDetails/i/13320.
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GAO: Legacy DoD Travel Systems Linger
As it works to expand and improve the use of its Defense Travel System (DTS), DoD continues to use two legacy travel systems because they process some change of station travel claims that DTS cannot handle, said a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The report, released June 30, looked at DoD’s 14-year effort to upgrade the travel claims system for military personnel and civilian workers. Progress has been made, GAO noted, but weaknesses remain. Although DTS is expected to provide the capability to process military permanent duty travel vouchers next fiscal year, DoD has not yet decided if civilian permanent duty travel voucher processing will be added to DTS, the report said. But the cost of using the older systems is about 15 times higher. “Electronic processing of travel vouchers through DTS is far less expensive than manual processing through legacy systems,” the report said. “It is important for the department to continue its efforts to make DTS its standardized system for processing travel vouchers.” Processing a travel voucher manually costs $36.52, versus $2.47 to do it electronically. To see more, go to: www.gao.gov/highlights/d09577high.pdf.
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ATF, ICE Announce Updated Investigative Partnership
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 30 announced they had updated their partnership on investigations of cross-border firearms trafficking and possession of firearms by illegal aliens. The joint memorandum of understanding (MOU) clarifies the notification process each agency is expected to follow while investigating the international trafficking of firearms, ammunition, explosives, weapons and munitions. The MOU will optimize the resources and minimize the duplication of efforts by each agency, the announcement said. Border violence is a strategic issue for ATF and ICE as the rivalry between warring drug trafficking organizations in Mexico has grown more deadly. “This MOU allows ATF and ICE to better serve America by maximizing their law enforcement efforts,” said ATF acting Director Kenneth Melson. To see more, go to: www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0906/090630albuquerque.htm.
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Vets Facing Homelessness Would Get Three Months of Aid Under Bill
House lawmakers introduced a bill that would—if made into law—provide three months of mortgage and utility payments to help down-on-their-luck veterans keep their homes. In a June 30 statement, Rep. Glenn Nye, D-Va., said the bill would help keep veterans and their families from being tossed out on the street. The bill would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide short-term assistance to vets in danger of losing their homes. Veterans would be eligible for assistance if they showed they could not make mortgage, rent or utility payments. The VA payments would be made on behalf of the veteran to the landlord, mortgage company, or utility company for up to three months, Nye said. Also, vets would be provided with support services to prevent future homelessness, which may include job training, mental health and substance abuse treatment. “With today’s tough economy, some veterans are just a paycheck or two from losing their homes,” Nye said. “Instead of waiting for them to lose their homes before giving them a hand up, I want to prevent veterans from becoming homeless. This bill will help bridge the gap for veterans who are struggling.” To see more, go to: http://nye.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&parentid=
23§iontree=23,24&itemid=196
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