Federal Daily - October 13, 2009

CBP Workforce More Diverse Than Civilian Counterparts

Outreach and recruiting programs have helped spread diversity through all ranks of the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) work force, a major factor leading to a rate of Hispanic employment at the agency far higher than the national civilian labor force, according to a new CBP analysis. The report, released on Oct. 8, noted that the CBP workforce is comprised of about 31.5 percent Hispanics, compared to a rate in the national civilian labor force of 10.7 percent. Hispanics have significant representation throughout CBP occupational levels from entry level through the Senior Executive Service, the agency said in a statement. The analysis is drawn from CBP's Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Report on Hispanic Employment.  “CBP attributes its employment success among Hispanics to community outreach, career development and targeted recruiting for underrepresented groups,” said Franklin Jones, executive director of CBP office of Equal Employment Opportunity. “Our employees interact with diverse customers everyday and we are striving to become a model employer that hires and retains a talented, multicultural workforce." CBP is the largest uniformed law enforcement agency in the country, with more than 58,000 workers, and—as an agency within the Department of Homeland Security—it is tasked with protecting the nation’s borders. To see more, go to: http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/.

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House OKs 1-Year Extension of Military Homeowners Tax Credit

The House on Oct. 8 unanimously approved a bill that would—if signed into law—extend for one year the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit specifically for servicemembers, the Foreign Service and intelligence corps members who served at least three months of qualified overseas duty in 2009. The bill, H.R.3590, the Servicemembers Home Ownership Tax Act, was approved on a 416-0 vote and extends the deadline until Nov. 30, 2010. The original Nov. 30 deadline was contained in authorizing language that was part of the larger first-time home buyer tax credit in this year’s $787 billion economic stimulus package. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fla., praised passage of the bill, but said it should be extended to all home buyers. “While this legislation will help thousands more servicemen and women take advantage of the tax credit’s benefits, we need to extend it for a longer period so even more Americans can reap the rewards of home ownership,” Mack said. Mack is a cosponsor of H.R. 1245, the Homebuyer Tax Credit Act, a bill that would extend and expand the homebuyer tax credit for all home buyers purchasing a primary residence. The servicemembers bill, H.R. 3590, now moves to the Senate. To see more, go to: http://mack.house.gov/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&Content
Record_id=7aa8c3e2-c255-4e6c-a054-c50cd4710063.

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Postal Service Chief Launches “National Dialogue”

Postmaster General John Potter, speaking at an event at the National Press Club, announced that despite challenging economic trends the Postal Service will continue to provide good service and meet market demands—and that the agency is seeking public discussion of how to manage the difficult situation. “I want to establish a public dialogue about the future of the Postal Service, not as it existed yesterday, nor as it exists today, but as it evolves and changes for tomorrow,” said Potter. “This is about determining the role for the Postal Service so that is has a relevant and viable place in the fabric of our nation, decades into the future,” he said. Potter clarified that he was especially interested in the longer-term future—“seven, 10, and 15 years from now.” The postmaster general noted too that the past two years have seen very steep drops in mail volume and resulting revenues, because of the recession but also because of a continuing shift to e-mail and Internet use. He also reached out to companies servicing the multi-billion mail industry, seeking their participation in the discussion. Potter also stressed some of the Postal Service’s cost-cutting successes. Management, in the fiscal year ending September 30, cut costs by $6 billion, he said. Furthermore, career slotted employee positions were reduced by 40,000—with 20 percent of these jobs having disappeared since 2001. “The Post Office has been reinventing itself for nearly its entire existence,” Potter said. For more go to: www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_085.htm.

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