The U.S. Postal Service issued a worst-case scenario cry for help on Tuesday, anticipating $238 billion in losses in the next 10 years if lawmakers, postal regulators and unions don’t give the mail agency more flexibility in setting delivery schedules, price increases and labor costs. The estimates released Tuesday also predict that letter carriers willRead… Read more »
Happy Tuesday! Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has reorganized the Pentagon’s line of succession, reverting back to a pre-Rumsfeld pecking order that emphasizes civilian service chiefs and adds new positions. President Obama issued an executive order Monday that restocks the order this way in the event that Gates dies or is otherwise unable to serve:Read… Read more »
Happy Monday! Federal funding for major road construction projects and national anti-drunk driving campaigns dried up Sunday night amid Congressional gridlock. Lawmakers failed to reach agreement last week on tax credits, unemployment insurance for roughly 400,000 Americans and a short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said Sunday that he expectsRead… Read more »
Federal agencies have once again mobilized following the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning. “We are closely monitoring the situation, including the potential for a tsunami,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Chile, and we stand ready to help inRead… Read more »
Postmaster General John E. Potter defends the U.S. Postal Service against some of its biggest misconceptions in Sunday’s Washington Post, just days before the nation’s mail service is expected to outline significant changes in its business plan. “Tough technology and market conditions are creating new challenges for our business,” Potter writes for Sunday’s Post OutlookRead… Read more »
An anti-hunger nonprofit based in the District, Queen Anne’s County in Maryland and a Virginia dredging company are among 389 recipients of federal stimulus dollars that have failed to report on the whereabouts of more than $55 million in economic stimulus funding, federal watchdogs said Thursday. The total amounts to less than 2 percent ofRead… Read more »
Happy Friday! Some Chinese food lovers in the Pacific Northwest enjoying a fortune cookie may soon get a fortune message that says, “You are an incredibly smart, beautiful person who will enjoy great success,” on one side and “Put down your chopsticks and get involved in Census 2010” on the other. The U.S. Census BureauRead… Read more »
Happy Thursday! More than 98 percent of the companies, educational institutions and other groups that have received economic stimulus money submitted spending reports last quarter, the White House announced on Tuesday. The news essentially means that most stimulus recipients turned in their homework on schedule last month, providing federal agencies with information on how theyRead… Read more »
The head of the Marine Corps said Tuesday that he opposes any moratorium on the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that bans gay people from openly serving in the military. The armed forces should stay focused on readiness and the ability to fight wars, he said. Marine Commandant Gen. James T. Conway said heRead… Read more »
Happy Wednesday! Officials at the Department of Homeland Security have told lawmakers in recent weeks that it employs more private contractors than government employees, a revelation that shouldn’t surprise close observers of the department’s seven-year history. The department employs 200,000 contractors, and roughly 188,000 federal employees, a total that does not include uniformed members ofRead… Read more »