The Senate has passed and sent to the House legislation (S-1522) to give the General Accounting Office more flexibility over its personnel system, including a performance-based pay system and additional leave and bonus authorities. The Senate also cleared for House consideration a bill (S-610) to allow NASA to pay higher salaries and bonuses to scientists and engineers as a recruiting and retention tool. Meanwhile, both the House and Senate have passed a bill (S-459) extending the public safety officer death benefit for death in the line of duty-currently $267,494-to survivors of police officers and firefighters who die of heart attacks or strokes suffered while performing “non-routine stressful or strenuous physical activity” in the line of duty.