NSPS Restrictions Clear Senate

The Senate has joined the House in backing repeal of the NSPS system in one year unless the Pentagon certifies that repeal would not be in its best interest and lays out a specific plan for improving its fairness, credibility and transparency. The language in the Senate DoD authorization bill (S-1390) also would bar expansion of the system, although it would not be as restrictive as the House-passed version (HR-2647), which would additionally prevent employees from being put in NSPS even as replacements for those already under the system who leave. The Obama administration has voiced objections to both versions, using stronger terms regarding the House language, saying it is premature to take any action on NSPS pending the results of an ongoing review-one whose preliminary recommendation was to keep it alive, although with changes in many of the same areas of concern, and potentially a renaming.