Posts Tagged ‘management’
Wednesday, April 17th, 2013 at 4:32pm
The House Republican Conference is out with a new video highlighting the Working Families Flexibility Act ( H.R. 1406 ), legislation introduced by Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL) that helps hardworking Americans better balance the demands of work and family. The bill “allows employers to offer employees a choice between cash wages and comp time for overtime hours worked,” the Education & the Workforce Committee explains, noting that “employees who want to receive cash wages would continue to do so.” In a recent op-ed in the Montgomery Advertiser , Rep. Roby underscored the benefits of the bill for working families across America: “For some businesses and workers, ‘comp time’ might not be a viable option. But for others, it can be a valuable benefit. “Meet Karen DeLoach, a bookkeeper at the Montgomery accounting firm Diamond, Carmichael, Gary, Patterson and Duke. Like most people in the financial industry, Karen puts in numerous hours during tax season, and therefore she builds up a lot of overtime. Karen would like to be able to cash in some of that overtime, not in pay, but in time off work so she can spend more time with her church’s mission work. Her boss would be happy to offer such a plan, given the seasonal nature of their business, but it is against the law. “Interestingly, offering such ‘comp time’ is perfectly legal in government agencies. So why should the rules be different in the private sector? … “The bottom line is this: Why should Washington tell an employee and employer whether or not they can offer ‘comp time?’ My bill would cut out an unnecessary regulation and help provide more freedoms for employees.” At a hearing held by the committee earlier this week, Juanita Phillips of the Society for Human Resources Management said that giving employees more control over their time “can improve employee morale and job satisfaction and increase productivity by giving employees the option of increased flexibility.” Public sector employees have enjoyed the benefit of comp time for nearly 30 years, and as Andy Brantley, president and CEO of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources pointed out, private-sector employees “should be afforded the same flexibility that their public sector counterparts enjoy to help meet their own work-family needs.” The Working Families Flexibility Act removes the legal barrier that prevents private-sector workers from having the same flexibility as public-sector workers, while maintaining the same protections that will allow them to continue receiving overtime pay if they choose to do so. Simply put, Americans “ shouldn’t have to choose work or family ,” and this bill will help ensure they don’t have to. Learn more about the Working Families Flexibility Act by visiting edworkforce.house.gov/yourtime .
Friday, April 12th, 2013 at 4:15pm
Environmental News NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY (Lenexa, Kan., April 8, 2013) – EPA Region 7 and the Kansas City Chiefs today announced Extra Yard for the Environment, the football club’s sustainability initiative. The program is designed to devise and implement new green policies for the Kansas City Chiefs while raising awareness for green efforts at Arrowhead Stadium, the University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex and for fans at home
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013 at 4:50am
After a year of meticulous planning and preparation, Tooele Army Depot, Utah, has begun to receive and store first- and second-stage C-4 rocket motors from the Trident I C-4 Fleet Ballistic Missile/Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile from the Missile Defense Agency.
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Tags: #africa, #energy, #Environment, #Health, #technology, archives, army, europe, management, stumbleupon, united-states
Friday, October 12th, 2012 at 6:54pm
The Institute notes with great regret the passing of Ambassador Lawrence G. Rossin, who died on Saturday, October 6th after a battle with multiple myeloma. read more
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Tags: #Academy, allison-sturma, career-included, conferences, international, larry-rossin, management, months-at-usip, news-releases, newsletters, personality, united-states
Saturday, October 6th, 2012 at 10:59am
ATLANTA – At a ceremony in Nashville next Thursday, EPA and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) officials will recognize seven water and wastewater utilities throughout Tennessee that have reduced energy demand at their facilities by more than 15 percent. Reducing energy consumption will result in cost savings for the utilities and their customers, and also yield substantial health and environmental benefits across the state
Friday, September 21st, 2012 at 7:12pm
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 16, 2012 H.R. 3973 would make several changes related to environmental laws, energy programs, and the management of mineral resources on Native American reservations. CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $58 million over the 2013-2017 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts.
Wednesday, September 12th, 2012 at 11:36pm
As reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on August 2, 2012 S. J. Res 44 would grant Congressional consent to the State and Province Emergency Management Assistance Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into between multiple states in the United States and provinces of Canada. CBO estimates that granting consent to the MoU would have no impact on the federal budget. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending or revenues.
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Tags: #Security, business, congress, congressional, judiciary, management, my-cbo, pennsylvania, states, topics, united-states
Thursday, August 30th, 2012 at 3:34am
As Hurricane Isaac approaches landfall near southeastern Louisiana, residents throughout the Gulf coast are busy preparing for the impact of the storm. Federal response teams are r eady to mobilize in support of state and local leaders . Even for those of us outside the trajectory of the hurricane, now is a good time to sit down with family and talk about how to prepare for extreme weather. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has put together a list of guidelines to help you be safe and ready before, during, and after hurricanes. To learn more about FEMA hurricane guidelines, visit Ready.gov/hurricanes . Below are a few tips we wanted to highlight for your safety: read more
Tuesday, August 28th, 2012 at 9:00pm
The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Mississippi and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Isaac beginning on August 26, 2012, and continuing. The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Amite, Clarke, Copiah, Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, Wilkinson, and Yazoo. Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Terry L. Quarles as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT: FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV
Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012 at 1:01pm
Excitement is building as we prepare for Thursday’s launch of the Presidential Innovation Fellows program. This new initiative is bringing in top innovators from outside government to work with top innovators inside government to create real and substantial changes that will in a very short time frame benefit the American people, save taxpayers money, and help create new jobs. After we announced our plans to create the Presidential Innovation Fellows program at TechCrunch Disrupt in New York City on May 23, nearly 700 of you applied for Fellowship spots, offering to drop everything you were doing and come serve your country. On Thursday, August 23, we will introduce the inaugural Fellows at a White House launch event, which will be streamed live on WhiteHouse.gov/live beginning at 10am EDT. And you can follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #innovategov . Joining me at the event will be a number of champions of innovation in government, including Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget Jeff Zients, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management John Berry, and U.S. Chief Information Officer Steve VanRoekel. read more
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Tags: #economy, #education, #President, #technology, executive orders, foreign-policy, john berry, management, presidents, rural, statements and releases, steve vanroekel
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 at 6:03am
As ordered reported by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on July 25, 2012 The bill would authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for intelligence activities of the U.S. government. Since CBO does not provide estimates for classified programs, this estimate addresses only the unclassified portions of the bill. On that limited basis, and assuming appropriation of the authorized and estimated amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the unclassified provisions of the bill would cost $537 million over the 2013-2017 period.
Friday, July 27th, 2012 at 5:39am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Agriculture July 11, 2012 H.R. 6083 would amend and extend a number of major programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including those addressing farm income support, food and nutrition, land conservation, trade promotion, rural development, research, forestry, energy, horticulture, and crop insurance.
Tuesday, July 24th, 2012 at 5:26pm
USIP’s board of directors announces the appointment of former Congressman Jim Marshall as the fourth President of the Institute. read more
Monday, July 23rd, 2012 at 11:27am
How can we continue to streamline, simplify, and improve rules and regulations? Which rules should be eliminated, streamlined, or made more effective? How can we reduce reporting and paperwork burdens? What are the best ways to cut regulatory costs? We’re looking for your ideas . In January 2011, the President directed all executive agencies to undertake an unprecedented government-wide review of regulations on the books, in order to figure out what is working and what is not, and where appropriate, to streamline or eliminate ineffective, overly burdensome, and outdated rules. Over two dozen agencies responded with regulatory reform plans, listing more than 800 initiatives. We are already seeing big results. Just a small fraction of those initiatives, already finalized or formally proposed to the public, will save more than $10 billion over the next five years. Far more savings are expected as the plans are implemented and improved. This May, the President made regulatory reform a continuing responsibility of all executive agencies and departments. All agencies must engage with the public to obtain suggestions about which regulations should be reassessed, modified, improved, streamlined, or eliminated. All agencies must give priority to reforms that would produce significant quantifiable savings or big reductions in paperwork and reporting burdens. And all agencies must report regularly to the public on their progress. The next reports are due fairly soon – this fall. To improve our review, and to make it as ambitious as possible, we are announcing, today, an opportunity for members of the public to offer their ideas. Which rules are outdated? Which ones are imposing unjustified costs? Which ones can be improved or made more effective? Submit your ideas at WhiteHouse.gov/Advise . They will be given careful consideration. Cass Sunstein is Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
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Tags: #economy, #education, #immigration, #jobs, #poverty, congress, ethics, management, podcasts, rural, the president, white house
Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 at 10:59am
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Calpine Corporation, owner of a 500-megawatt natural-gas fired power plant, $13,500 for the improper management of hazardous waste at its Yuba City, Calif. facility. A July 2009 inspection by EPA at the Sutter Energy Center, a subsidiary of Calpine, discovered a violation of federal requirements pertaining to the management of hazardous waste
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Tags: #Environment, #jobs, #Security, #technology, climate-change, executive orders, Feeds, management, podcasts, safety, widgets
Saturday, July 14th, 2012 at 4:47pm
The Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment is already reaping the benefits of advanced encryption tools for their Rifleman Radios in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, as a direct result of successful participation in the Network Integration Evaluation 12.1.
Thursday, July 5th, 2012 at 10:01pm
As posted on the Web site of the House Committee on Agriculture on July 5, 2012.
Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 at 3:33pm
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on April 26, 2012 H.R. 3609 would require government agencies to identify and describe each program they administer, the cost to administer the program, expenditures for services, the number of program beneficiaries, and the number of federal employees and contract staff involved. Under the bill, that information would be posted on each agency’s Web site. In addition, H.R. 3609 would require an annual report by the Office of Management and Budget that identifies duplicative federal programs.
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Tags: #Budget, #House, #Security, budget-office, business, congress, Feeds, government, management, number, topics
Wednesday, July 4th, 2012 at 3:31pm
German and American officials broke ground for the next stage in transformation on Wiesbaden’s Clay Kaserne in Germany, June 28, 2012.
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012 at 9:33am
Today Congress took a major step in our efforts to restore the Gulf Coast and support the important communities that rely on it everyday. Earlier today, Congress enacted the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act). This Administration recognizes that a strong and vibrant ecosystem is the key to the Gulf’s future – that’s why the President established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force in 2010. As Chair of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and a New Orleans native, I can tell you that a healthy ecosystem is vital to the economy and the way of life for the Gulf Coast. There’s a lot at stake in this region: the economies of the five Gulf States supported more than 19 million jobs and nearly $2.5 trillion of the U.S. GDP in 2008. In addition, millions of people visit the Gulf Coast each year – to vacation, to sail, to swim, to fish, and to enjoy this great waterbody. In 2008, national and international tourists spent about $145 billion in the 5 coastal states and around 1.7 million people were employed in travel and tourism. During the oil spill, we essentially “lost” the Gulf for a period of time, and natural resources in the Gulf were extensively damaged. We lost the use of valuable fishing grounds, incredible recreational opportunities and all of the other benefits of a thriving, vibrant ecosystem. That loss helped show folks who aren’t from the Gulf Coast just how important it is to our nation. But our goal and commitment is not simply to address the damage caused by the spill – it is to ensure the long term improvement and restoration of the Gulf Coast and its unique ecosystems. read more
Saturday, June 30th, 2012 at 9:27pm
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on June 21, 2012 S. 2018 would require the Long Island Sound office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to study the impact of climate change on the Long Island Sound watershed and develop strategies to increase public education about that area. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing this legislation would cost $254 million over the 2013-2017 period.
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Tags: #education, #Environment, appropriation, climate-change, congress, cost-estimates, Feeds, island-sound, legislation, management, office, topics
Saturday, June 30th, 2012 at 9:27pm
As ordered reported by the House Committee on the Budget on June 27, 2012 H.R. 5872 would require the President to provide a detailed report to the Congress within 30 days of enactment regarding detailed plans for implementing the across-the-board spending cuts for fiscal year 2013 that are required under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act. Under that act, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will implement governmentwide spending cuts in 2013. The bill also would require federal agencies to provide OMB any necessary information.
Wednesday, June 27th, 2012 at 2:48am
As introduced in the House of Representatives on May 18, 2012 H.R. 5843 would permit recipients of certain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to use funding for training and exercises conducted in conjunction with a national laboratory or research facility. CBO estimates that enacting this legislation would not affect the federal budget; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
Friday, June 22nd, 2012 at 1:27am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 7, 2012
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Tags: #transportation, army, clean, clean-water, congress, corps, cost estimate, Feeds, management, my-cbo, united-states
Sunday, June 17th, 2012 at 12:28am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on June 7, 2012 CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4234 would affect offsetting receipts (a credit against direct spending); therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any such effects would be minimal over the 2013-2022 period. We also estimate that implementing the legislation would have no significant impact on discretionary spending. Enacting H.R. 4234 would not affect revenues. read more
Saturday, June 9th, 2012 at 11:24am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on March 8, 2012 read more
Saturday, June 9th, 2012 at 11:24am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 16, 2012 CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 4402 would have no significant impact on the federal budget. Enacting the bill could reduce mandatory payments for attorneys’ fees over the 2013-2022 period; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. However, CBO estimates that any such impacts would be minimal. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues. read more
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Tags: #forest, #Security, business, congress, cost-estimates, Feeds, forest-service, interior, management, my-cbo, topics
Saturday, June 9th, 2012 at 11:24am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 16, 2012 read more
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Tags: #development, #House, business, congress, Feeds, interior, management, my-cbo, secretary, topics, years
Saturday, June 9th, 2012 at 11:24am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on May 16, 2012 read more
Friday, June 1st, 2012 at 10:43pm
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 25, 2012 H.R. 2467 would authorize the transfer of 39 acres of federal land into trust for the benefit of the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California. The land consists of a 32-acre parcel adjacent to the existing 40-acre reservation and a 7.5-acre parcel currently under lease by the Toiyabe Indian Health Project (TIHP), a consortium of seven federally recognized tribes, including the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California. read more
Friday, May 25th, 2012 at 10:19am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 25, 2012 H.R. 4222 would require the Secretary of the Interior to place 20 acres of land into trust for the benefit of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona. Based on information provided by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), CBO estimates that implementing the bill would have no significant impact on the federal budget. Enacting H.R. 4222 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. read more
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Tags: #Security, benefit, cost-estimates, federal, Feeds, interior, management, my-cbo, pascua, public-purposes, recreation, tribe
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 at 10:05pm
As ordered reported by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on May 17, 2012 H.R. 5743 would authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2013 for intelligence activities of the U.S. government. Since CBO does not provide estimates for classified programs, this estimate addresses only the unclassified portions of the bill. On that limited basis, and assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing the unclassified provisions of H.R. 5743 would cost $525 million over the 2013-2017 period. read more
Thursday, May 10th, 2012 at 7:50am
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on April 25, 2012 H.R. 2621 would establish the Chimney Rock National Monument within the San Juan National Forest in southern Colorado. The legislation would require the Forest Service to complete a management plan for the monument and would withdraw federal lands that make up the monument (about 5,000 acres) from disposal, mining, or mineral leasing. read more
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Tags: #forest, #National, #Security, business, chimney, chimney-rock, congress, Feeds, forest-service, management, my-cbo
Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 11:10pm
The U.S. Institute of Peace today announced the state-level winners of the National Peace Essay Contest (NPEC). Each of the 50 students received an academic scholarship for their essays on “The Impact of New Media on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management.” read more
Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 10:46pm
Environmental News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Kansas City, Kan., March 27, 2012) – The National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA) has agreed to pay $700,000 in penalties to the United States and the State of Kansas, and perform a series of injunctive relief actions, to settle violations of federal environmental laws and the Kansas State Implementation Plan at its petroleum refinery and underground storage facility in McPherson County, Kan. As part of a consent decree lodged yesterday in U.S
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Tags: #Facebook, #history, #news, #Security, #technology, climate-change, executive orders, Feeds, goals, management, united-states
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 at 9:21am
Release Time: For Immediate Release WASHINGTON, DC – Today the White House announced that current Deputy Director for Management and Chief Performance Officer Jeffrey Zients will serve as the Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget. “I’m pleased to designate Jeff Zients to lead the Office of Management and Budget. Since day one, Jeff has demonstrated superb judgment and has provided sound advice on a whole host of issues,” said President Obama. “With decades of experience, Jeff has been a tremendous asset to our team and I’m confident in his ability to help us rebuild an economy where hard work and responsibility pay off and the middle class has a chance to get ahead.” Jeff Zients was confirmed by the Senate on June 19, 2009 as the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget and the nation’s first Federal Chief Performance Officer, and served as OMB’s Acting Director from July-November 2010. Mr. Zients has twenty years of business experience as a CEO, management consultant and entrepreneur with a deep understanding of business strategy, operations and process improvement, and financial management. His expertise extends across a broad range of industries and geographies. Mr. Zients served as CEO and Chairman of The Advisory Board Company and Chairman of the Corporate Executive Board, firms that are leading providers of performance benchmarking and management best practices for senior executives at over 5,000 businesses. Mr. Zients also co-founded The Urban Alliance Foundation, a non-profit organization that partners with corporations to provide economically disadvantaged youth with year-round paid internships, adult mentors and job training. Zients graduated summa cum laude from Duke University with a degree in Political Science. He and his wife Mary live in Washington, D.C. and have four children.
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Tags: #education, articles, barack-obama, congress, dr. jill biden, energy & environment, family, management, podcasts, presidential memoranda, press briefings, taxes
Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 8:52pm
President Barack Obama talks with Matthew Ritsko, the winner of the 2011 Presidential Securing Americans’ Value and Efficiency (SAVE) award, in the Oval Office, Jan. 9, 2012. Ritsko, a financial manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, proposed the space agency create a “lending library” where specialized space tools and hardware purchased by one NASA organization will be made available to other NASA programs and projects. From the start of the Administration, President Obama has been committed to delivering the American people an efficient, effective government that cuts waste and uses taxpayer dollars wisely. Recognizing that frontline federal workers know best where the waste is, he has made federal employees an essential partner in that effort. In 2009, the President launched the SAVE Award – an annual contest to enlist frontline Federal workers in the effort to cut waste and make government work better for the American people. This year, we received nearly 20,000 entries, and 48,000 votes were cast rating the ideas. Last November, the American people then voted on a final four of the best ideas, and the winner was Matthew Ritsko of Crofton, Maryland. Today, Matthew came to the Oval Office to discuss his idea with the President. read more
Sunday, December 25th, 2011 at 2:16pm
As the number of students trained at its Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding climbs toward 25,000, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) also welcomes an accomplished new dean. Dr. Lauren Van Metre has been named the Academy’s dean of students. She joins the Academy’s management team led by Provost Pamela Aall, Jeff Helsing (Dean of Curriculum), and Mike Lekson (Director of Gaming). read more
Sunday, December 25th, 2011 at 2:16pm
The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has appointed Michael Lekson as director of gaming for its Academy for International Conflict Management and Peacebuilding. read more
Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 2:10am
As it makes major upgrades to its tactical communications network, the Army is also revamping the way Soldiers can monitor and manage network performance in real time.
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 at 8:09pm
(Boston, Mass. – Nov. 17, 2011) – The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration (GSA) have joined forces to promote the Federal Green Challenge Initiative in New England federal facilities
Saturday, August 27th, 2011 at 9:45pm
Release Time: For Immediate Release The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Rhode Island and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Irene beginning on August 26, 2011, and continuing. The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all five counties in the State of Rhode Island. Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding. W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Gracia B. Szczech as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT: FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@DHS.GOV
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Tags: #economy, #history, #innovation, barack-obama, civil-rights, dr. jill biden, family, Feeds, foreign-policy, management, presidential memoranda
Friday, August 5th, 2011 at 10:05am
To celebrate the first six months of the White House-led Startup America initiative, this week we are highlighting the stories of real entrepreneurs who are creating jobs across the country. The Startup America initiative aims to create the right policy environment for entrepreneurs to flourish. For example, the President signed into law a 100% capital gains tax cut for investment in small businesses made throughout 2011. The President’s budget would make this tax incentive permanent. Taxi drivers in America can spend as much as 57% of their day driving around an empty cab. In most cities and towns, there is almost always an available taxi within an acceptable distance to someone who needs a ride, but the cabs are “out of sight and out of mind,” and, rather than finding one that might be around the corner, people get in their cars and drive, adding to congestion, pollution and the number of intoxicated drivers on the road. It makes sense that if drivers were more visible, if potential passengers had the equivalent of x-ray vision to spot and hail cabs from blocks away, drivers would make more money and communities would benefit from improved transit efficiency. My partners and I spotted an opportunity, and outlined a plan for a company we called Cabulous. Our goal? Putting an end to “invisible taxi drivers” — and to wasteful inefficiency. read more
Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 at 4:35am
The CBO just released its analysis of the debt ceiling extension and deficit reduction plan that the House of Representatives is considering. We have been clear in our opposition to this bill , and the President explained why last night . While we disagree with the approach that Speaker Boehner chose to take in this bill, there is one thing that we all still agree on, and that is the size of the problem. Both the House Republican budget proposal unveiled by Congressman Ryan on April 5 and the President’s fiscal framework that he introduced on April 13, set as our goal deficit reduction of $4 trillion. Since both of these plans were introduced before the agreement on appropriations for FY 2011, the baseline used for them did not reflect the spending cuts enacted this year in that legislation. Indeed, throughout our weeks of talks, all parties have worked off a January baseline because we all recognized that we needed to start from the same place. read more
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 at 5:22pm
Just as our cell phones and computers have gotten progressively more efficient over the past decade, so too have data servers. However, the government has not taken advantage of the increasing efficiency of data storage. Rather than follow the private sector’s lead of shrinking the size and number of the facilities used to house the computers that store their data, agencies have gone in the opposite direction. Between 1998 and 2010, the Federal government quadrupled the number of data centers we operate. Moreover, on average these centers have been using only 27 percent of their computer power even though taxpayers are footing the bill for the entire infrastructure, real estate and energy costs. The need for backup power supplies, environmental controls (air conditioning, fire suppression, etc.) and special security devices mean that data centers can consume 200 times as much electricity as standard office spaces. While such inefficiency is unacceptable at anytime, cracking down on waste is particularly important in these challenging budgetary times. By shrinking our data center footprint we will save taxpayer dollars, cutting costs for infrastructure, real estate and energy. At the same time, moving to a more nimble 21st century model will strengthen our security and the ability to deliver services for less. read more
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Tags: #education, #House, #innovation, #technology, articles, ethics, Feeds, foreign-policy, government, management, tech and new media
