DoD Measure Has Limited Impact

The final version of the fiscal 2009 DoD authorization bill (S-3001) sent to President Bush would make only relatively minor changes to personnel practices at the government’s largest department. The bill would extend several special authorities that DoD has over pay and benefits for employees deployed into combat areas of operations, extend several special downsizing authorities including the "voluntary RIF" program in which someone can volunteer to be separated with most RIF benefits, and add hiring flexibilities for certain health care and research laboratory occupations. Language that would have barred new contracting out studies for three years–which the White House had threatened to veto–was dropped, but the measure does order the executive branch to produce a comprehensive definition of what type of work is inherently governmental, and thus off-limits to contractors, under Circular A-76 and other contracting laws.