Federal Eye

Some lawmakers really want President Obama to fund trips back to the Moon -- and beyond.

Happy Tuesday! On a day when President Obama spent some time discussing the importance of math and science education, a bipartisan group of lawmakers urged him on Monday to adopt the recent recommendations of a blue-ribbon panel that studied the future of NASA. The nation's economy and national security depends on future human space flight, according to the lawmakers.

The NASA House Action Team, co-chaired by Reps. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.) and Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), most especially want Obama to give NASA a $3 billion annual budget increase, as recommended by the so-called Augustine panel. Obama established the group earlier this year to study the future of Space exploration.

"Congress will continue to fight to maintain America's leadership in space exploration in order to inspire this and future generations to imagine, innovate, and create new science and technology for the 21st century and beyond," Kosmas said in a statement.

The Post's Joel Achenbach recently wrote that the whither-NASA issue was supposed to have been decided already:

Under a new NASA administrator [during the Bush administration], the agency put together the Constellation program, which called for two new rockets, a new crew capsule, a lunar lander and a lunar habitat. Crew and cargo would no longer ride to orbit together in a huge space truck such as the shuttle. Instead, NASA would return to an Apollo-style architecture, with astronauts in a capsule on top of a rocket.

But considering the nation's economic climate and priorities, the plan is a bit too ambitious for some, and President Obama hasn't spoken publicly about NASA in quite awhile. Hence the lawmaker's outreach:

"If we allow a gap in human space flight our nation will have lost valuable skills that will be costly and difficult to replace," their letter said. "In addition, we also will have given up on our hard-won space preeminence over other nations, including Russia and China, who will surely step in to fill the void."

It should come as no surprise that the House NASA coalition's members come from states (Alabama, California, Florida, Maryland, Ohio and Texas) that house most NASA facilities and factories owned and operated by major Space or defense industry companies. But many would argue they have a valid point: NASA has served as one of the government's leading innovators and as a source of national pride. The Chinese, Russians and others could very well surpass American Space capabilities in the near future. Plus, if you want to discuss the benefits of a math and science education, look no further than NASA, which uses both all day long.

But even still -- is human space flight still worth the hefty price tag?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

• Chat with The Eye!: At 11 a.m. ET during Tuesday's Post Politics Hour.

• Cabinet and Staff News: Obama told his Cabinet on Monday to get a little bit of rest this week, "particularly the people who have been traveling around the globe for day in and day out and don't know what time zone they're in," he said following the meeting. Regardless, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke -- recently back from meetings in Asia -- visits Philadelphia today to promote the 2010 Census. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal and Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry told to prepare to testify about Obama's Afghanistan war strategy. Is Ambassador Tim Roemer key to the U.S.-India relationship? We should find out today who's on the Obama's first state dinner guest list.

Updated 1:46 p.m. ET

A Monday seminar on climate change has lost two sponsors following the organizer's decision to not open the event to the press.

Contrary to earlier reports, organizers insist the event is indeed open to the press with one condition: That participants and audience members abide by the "Chatham House Rule," which could severely hamstring reporters eager to share the thoughts of certain people in attendance.

Tonight's speakers include a mix of government and private climate change experts from the U.S. and Great Britain.

The seminar's organizer is Natalia Galin, a Fulbright scholar at NASA's Goddard Space Center. In an e-mail she explained that the rule "would allow for the speakers and audience to engage in free and unrestricted discussion for the benefit of all present."

The rule dates back to the late 1920s and states that "participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed." It's designed to encourage open and frank discussion by cloaking the identity of speakers at an event.

But her decision has cost her the support of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Fulbright Association's National Capital Area Chapter.

The Fulbright chapter withdrew its support "because the chapter, like the national association, is dedicated to the free and open discussion of ideas," said executive director Jane Anderson.

AAAS, which planned to host the event at its building, said it backed out when the group learned of the plans to curtail press access.

"It is our policy that any events we sponsor in our building that are open to the public also must be open to the press," AAAS spokesman Earl Lane said in an e-mail.

That means tonight's event -- running from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. -- has a new location, at NASA headquarters at 300 E St. SW in Washington.

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sen. John McCain has a message for the Agriculture Department: "Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow (in Arizona)!"

The former Republican presidential candidate said he will block the confirmation of USDA nominees until the U.S. Forest Service allows an Arizona ski resort to make artificial snow with treated wastewater.

McCain's decision means at least two USDA nominees remain in limbo awaiting Senate confirmation, according to The Post's Head Count. President Obama has not nominated anyone to fill three other political positions at USDA.

McCain and Grand Canyon State colleague Jon Kyl (R) first wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in June asking why the Forest Service had not approved the Arizona Snowbowl's request to use snowmaking equipment on its peaks in the Coconino National Forest.

The agency has the legal right to approve the request following years of litigation by several Native American tribes that had fought to block the use of snowmaking equipment on mountains they consider sacred. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the tribes' case in June. Snowbowl officials have said they will not move ahead until they get final clearance from Washington, and they're still waiting.

"The Department continues to delay this project despite repeated requests to move forward from Arizona Snowbowl, myself, and fellow members of the Arizona Congressional delegation," McCain wrote last week in another letter to Vilsack.

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• The Government's Art: A cool Wall Street Journal sideshow depicts some of the most notable pieces from the collections of the House, Senate and State Department.

• More Obama Nominees Announced: The president on Friday tapped Maria Sally Matiella to serve as assistant secretary of the Army for financial management; Paul L. Oostburg Sanz to serve as the Department of Navy's general counsel; Solomon B. Watson IV to serve as the Department of Army's general counsel; Kathleen S. Tighe to serve as the Education Department's inspector general; Orlan Johnson to serve as chairman of the board of directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporatio; and Sharon Y. Bowen to serve as the vice-chair of the board of directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Track all of Obama's nominees with The Post's Head Count.

• Cabinet and Staff News: President Obama meets with the Cabinet Monday, then meets separately with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. (The man who took hostages at Clinton's New Hampshire campaign office set free.) Defense Secretary Robert Gates visits Canada, but can't push them for more troops. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren host a live chat to discuss the administration's efforts to boost science, technology and math eduction. Gen. Carter Ham will lead the Army's Ft. Hood probe. Veterans Affairs undersecretary for benefits stepping down. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims and former Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske making Washington State proud.

Watch above as The Eye discusses the Postal Service's Letters to Santa program on MSNBC on Sunday morning.

By Bill Turque in The Post's D.C. Wire blog:

D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee had several conversations last year with a federal inspector general investigating Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson for alleged financial misconduct and inappropriate behavior with female students at a charter school he operated, The Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee

The paper said Rhee, who once served on the board of the St. Hope school, spoke on behalf of Johnson -- whom she is now engaged to -- calling him "a good guy."

Rhee's previously undisclosed involvement in the investigation is described in a 62-page congressional report on the White House's firing earlier this year of Gerald Walpin, the inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service. The report is scheduled to be released today by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif) and Sen Charles E.Grassley (R-Iowa).

Johnson has not been charged with any crimes. Republicans contend that Walpin's firing was politically motivated because Johnson, a former NBA star with the Phoenix Suns, was a high-profile supporter of President Obama. Administration officials said the corporation board had lost confidence in Walpin, 78, who appeared confused and disoriented at a May board meeting. The paper said Walpin is receiving free legal help from a conservative public relations firm associated with the "swift boat" ads that attacked Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry in the 2004 campaign.

Continue reading this post in D.C. Wire >>>

RELATED: Previous Federal Eye reports on inspector general firings

Coconuts helped save one Florida town's post office.

Updated 3:46 p.m. ET

Among the post offices saved in the latest round of cutbacks announced Friday is the one in coconut-rich Lantana, Fla.

Eye readers will recall that the town's residents sent hundreds of coconuts (yes, hundreds, not thousands as initially thought) to Postmaster General John E. Potter in an effort to save their post office.

Reached Friday for comment, Lantana city manager Michael Bornstein said "“We’re thrilled. Our approach of raising awareness in an unusual way… apparently it worked.”

Bornstein convinced the mayor, councilmembers, the Palm Beach County commissioner and local schoolkids to pay between $4.00 and $17.00 to mail coconuts to Washington. (Yes, you can mail a raw coconut in the mail.)

“We’re going to go back to the schools and talk to the kids who did the coconuts and complete the circle about the history and the activism and that their coconuts were going up to Washington," Bornstein said.

"Now they can see that they made the difference," he said.

The Postal Service released Friday its updated list of postal service branches nationwide that are under consideration for closure, as the agency aims to slash costs and deal with a rising tide of red ink.

The latest list shows that 241 sites remain under consideration, down from 371 a month ago.

Among the states that were particularly adept at dodging the budget ax in this update were Ohio, New York and Michigan -- who collectively accounted for nearly a quarter of the sites on the October list.

Ohio now has 26 facilities being considered for closure, down from 44 last month. New York has 11 on the list, down from 26, and Michigan has eight, down from 24.

Idaho had three locations on the October list and Hawaii had two, but both states have been struck from the current closure list.

Here's the list of the 241 postal sites that may still close (pdf)

RELATED: Previous Federal Eye reports on the Postal Service

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Three postal service branches in Maryland and one in the District that have been considered for closure, as the U.S. Postal Service looks to trim costs, will remain open, the agency announced Friday. Eight locations in the District remain candidates for closure, according to an updated list released Friday by the Postal Service

The District's Northeast branch office on Maryland Avenue NE will stay open, as will Bethesda's Friendship Heights branch, the Landover Hills branch in Hyattsville and the Silver Spring Center branch.

Nationally, 241 sites remain under consideration, down from 371 sites listed last month.

Here are the eight locations in the District that might close:

Source: U.S. Postal Service

Each Zip code region must include a post office, but most suburban and urban areas have multiple smaller locations, called retail branches or stations, that provide limited mail services. The Postal Service is only targeting those types of locations for closure. The eight D.C. locations are all within reasonable distance of other post offices or postal branches.

Postal officials anticipate they will make final decisions and start closing locations in early 2010.

Here's the full list of the 241 postal sites that may still close (pdf)

RELATED: Previous Federal Eye reports on the Postal Service

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag delivers the Obama administration's health-care reform sales pitch in a Washington Post op-ed today by focusing on the economic impact of the efforts.

"If we do nothing to slow the skyrocketing cost of health care, the federal government will eventually be spending more on Medicare and Medicaid than all other government programs combined," Orszag writes. "It's time to move toward the high-quality, lower-cost health system of the future, and the reforms under discussion in the House and Senate will put us firmly on that path."

He notes that the Congressional Budget Office (his former employer) determined that the House health-care reform bill would reduce the deficit by $109 billion over the first decade "and potentially by more than that over the second." The Senate version would reduce the deficit by $130 billion in the first decade and by more than half a trillion dollars in the next decade, Orszag writes.

"This assessment is based on hard, tangible savings -- not on the harder-to-quantify, yet very real steps that hold the most promise of transforming health care and bringing down the rate of cost growth over time," he notes.

Finally:

As we enter the homestretch, the greatest risk we run is not completing health reform and letting this chance to lay a new foundation for our economy and our country pass us by. We have the building blocks to construct a health-care system that provides the highest quality of care while embodying a process of continuous improvement -- a leap forward for the health of Americans and the fiscal health of the entire nation.

Read Orszag's full Post op-ed here.

Happy Friday! A New York lawmaker is trying -- yet again -- to ban smoking within 25 feet of federal buildings.

Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) introduced a bill this week that bans the practice, even though the General Services Administration last year banned puffing within 25 feet of federal building doorways and intake ducts.

The policy closed interior smoking rooms, but does not apply to federal buildings in which people are "voluntarily or involuntarily residing," such as prisons. It also allows for "instances where an agency head establishes limited and narrow exceptions that are necessary to accomplish agency missions."

Federal employees have fought the existence of interior smoking rooms, outdoor smoking areas other loopholes in the GSA policy that might allow some colleagues to carve out indoor and outdoor smoking areas.

Engel's bill appears to help those efforts, if it ever passes.

"This is common sense legislation," Engel said in a statement, noting that he introduced the Healthy Air for Federal Workers Act to coincide with the Great American Smoke Out and Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Engel introduced a similar measure in July 2008 to no avail.

But how will the law be enforced? Is it really that necessary? Or is it long overdue?

And how might this impact President Obama -- who lives in a federal building and has never said that he's completely kicked the habit?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

• More Obama Nominees Announced: On Thursday the president tapped World Bank official Elizabeth Littlefield to serve as president of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; career Senior Foreign Service officer Harry K. Thomas Jr. to serve as ambassador to the Philippines; and Georgia State Sen. David Adelman to serve as ambassador to Singapore. Track all of Obama's nominees with The Post's Head Count.

• Cabinet and Staff News: Republican lawmaker asks Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner if he will resign. Is Kathleen Sebelius' cave-in on mammograms a setback for health care reform? Today: Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. attends the swearing in of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neal H. McBride; Commerce Secretary Gary Locke swears in Patrick Gallagher as 14th director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visits Fayetteville, N.C. to talk about the future of local agriculture. TSA, OMB nominees confirmed by Senate committee. Is the White House is cutting the annual Hannukah party in half?