News Briefs

THE DAILY FED

News Briefs

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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.

FEDERAL DIARY--"The C-fund (stock index) of the federal 401(k) plan bounced back last month, posting a 5.46 percent gain after losing 5.59 percent in August. September's good news means that for the most recent 12-month period, the C-fund return was 40.30 percent. In calendar year 1996, the fund returned 22.85 percent, and it gained 37.41 percent the year before" (The Washington Post).

A LEADER FOR NATION'S NEST EGG--"Kenneth S. Apfel ability--to be a clear, calm voice in the midst of passionate disagreements--will be tested as never before in his new role as commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Apfel, 48, takes over Social Security at the beginning of a great debate over how to alter the nation's largest social program so that it can withstand the financial strains that inevitably will come in the next century. Today, Social Security pays $353 billion a year to provide benefits to 43.7 million retired and disabled Americans. By 2029, the program's trust fund is predicted to begin spending more money than it takes in" (The Washington Post).

GOP BACKS OFF IN FIGHT AGAINST WORKFARE PROTECTIONS--"Congressional Republicans have retreated from what they had vowed would be a major battle this fall with the Clinton administration over whether welfare recipients in work-fare jobs should be covered by the same workplace protections as other employees....That leaves unchallenged an administration ruling requiring states to extend worker protections, including health and safety and civil rights laws, to workfare participants" (The Washington Post).

8 INTERIOR STAFFERS MISSING AFTER PLAN VANISHES IN COLO.--"Search parties scoured the woods and mountains today for a chartered plan that vanished while carrying eight employees of the federal Bureau of Reclamation and a pilot to a meeting in Arizona" (The Washington Post).

CLINTON OFFERS PLAN TO MAKE IRS MORE RESPONSIVE--"President Clinton will announce plans today to reform the Internal Revenue Service in the wake of a political uproar over IRS abuses. The changes will include an employee evaluation process that takes into consideration customer satisfaction, and the elimination of the practice of rating districts in part on how much revenue they bring in" (USA TODAY).

CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Access America Conferences

The National Performance Review (NPR), will launch a series of informational conferences aimed at providing government employees and private industry IT officials with techniques and strategies for implementing the goals of Access America, an NPR report outlining steps to increase access--via the Internet--to government services. The first conference will be held November 3 (changed from September 25) in Baltimore, Md. and then will travel to other cities across the country. Expert panels will discuss IT topics, including Internet/Intranet successes, the future of Distance Learning and collaboration, IT acquisition and procurement reform, and privacy and security.

Industry Advisory Council's Executive Leadership Conference

October 5-7, 1997 Richmond, Virginia. Forty-six hours of exciting and important keynotes, workshops and frank discussions on the topics foremost in the minds of both government and industry leaders such as "How the Internet is changing the way we do business;" "Public vs private competition: Does it make sense?" and "Past Performance of Past Performance." $265 for government attendees and $425 for industry members. Register separately at the Richmond Marriott (804) 643-3400. Contact Mary Ellen Geoffroy, Executive Director of IAC at 703-218-1965.

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.