The 2010 defense authorization bill intends to repeal the National Security Personnel System. Lawmakers, like the American Federation of Government Employees, obviously did not agree with a recent recommendation by a Pentagon task force that suggested the NSPS could be saved with a major overhaul. The defense policy bill, just passed by the House and awaiting a Senate vote, would direct DOD to transition all employees already shifted to NSPS back into the General Schedule system within about two years. According to the conference report summary, DOD would have “flexibilities to reform the DOD hiring process and establish a performance management system.”
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
