News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

SECTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM:

U.S. Navy International Logistics Symposium

Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton will be a guest speaker at a three-day International Logistics Symposium sponsored by the Navy International Programs Office in conjunction with the American Society of Naval Engineers, July 14-16, 1997, at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Crystal City, VA. Representatives from government, industry and foreign nations will meet to exchange ideas and review exhibits on a variety of logistics topics related to the Navy's Foreign Military Sales program. For program information contact NAVSEA (703) 602-9000.

DTIC Annual Conference

The Defense Technical Information Center is presenting its Annual Users Meeting and Training Conference on Nov. 3-6, 1997 at the DoubleTree Hotel, National Airport, Arlington, Va. The conference theme is Information in the New Millenium. Contact Ms. Julia Foscue at 703-767-8236 or by e-mail at jfoscue@dtic.mil.

The following news summaries are from OPM AM, the daily newsletter of the Office of Personnel Management. OPM AM is available on OPM Mainstreet, the agency's electronic bulletin board, at 202-606-4800.

**TSP OPEN SEASON**The Thrift Savings Plan Open Season runs through July 31. During this time, you may begin contributing to the TSP, change the amount of your TSP contributions, or allocate TSP contributions to your account among the three investment funds. To get more information and download the forms you will need, click here.

THE FEDERAL DIARY--Sen. Lauch Faircloth (R-N.C.)is proposing legislation which would require federal agencies to "deal with the public to ensure that the taxpayers got the name and telephone number of the person they were dealing with" (The Washington Post 7/13/97)...Workers are investing more than ever in the high-risk stock index of the Thrift Savings Plan. Don't forget, you have until July 31 to make choices (The Washington Post, 7/14/97).

FEDERAL TIMES--"In July 1994, President Clinton issued a memorandum encouraging agency heads to develop arrangements that help employees juggle family and work responsibilities"..."Three agencies have asked Congress to turn them into performance-based organizations,' cut loose from many personnel rules, and three more agencies plan similar requests"...Workers protested in Washington, D.C. to urge the government to protect federal workers from "sick" buildings (7/21/97).

COMMERCE--"Commerce Secretary William Daley, in approving the dismissal of the popular head of the National Weather Service, opened a window on budgetary confusion of the sort that swirls inside many agencies as they make painful decisions on spending cuts this year while trying to maintain credible services" (The Washington Post).

ETHICS--The public service is hampered by ethics laws that go too far (USA Today, The Forum).

OF INTEREST--Home office users may get a tax break (USA TODAY)...Summer employment programs help big companies such as Bell Atlantic partner with students to invest in their community and cultivate a future work force (The Washington Post)...Federal agencies have been scrambling to avert a disaster at the close of the final day in 1999 (The Washington Post, Editorial).