Photograph by Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg

Repairs are made to the USS Bulkeley as it is docked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia, on Feb. 28, 2013.

Sequestration is throwing children out of the Head Start program, eliminating meals for seniors and forcing government workers to take unpaid leave. While those effects continue, there’s some relief in sight for a less-discussed, sequester-sparked ill: those annoying overdraft fees.

The Navy Federal Credit Union, which serves 4 million members, is offering a special sequestration overdraft line of credit at 3 percent for members that are subject to furloughs. It also created a loan assistance program, set up a 24-7 sequestration hotline and announced penalty-free early withdrawal on certificates of deposit.

“Understanding that sequestration will strain your budget, we are prepared to work with you,” the credit union says on its website.

The programs may see more use now that the Pentagon, the largest government employer, has announced 680,000 civilian employees will be furloughed for 11 days by Sept. 30, saving the department $1.8 billion.

Original post is Military Credit Union Offers Sequester Relief by Political Capital.

Courtesy U.S. Navy via Northrop Grumman

The X-47B drone is launched from the USS George H.W. Bush, May 14, 2013.
U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Northrop Grumman.

That’s the USS George H.W. Bush, his grandson is proud to note, that launched the first of many drones the Navy hopes to deploy aboard aircraft carriers.

The GHWB making waves today…X-47B makes historic carrier launch cnet.co/128V9f3 via @cnet #gonavy

— George P. Bush (@georgepbush) May 14, 2013

C/Net reports: “In the first-ever catapult launch of an unmanned aircraft from the flight deck of a carrier, the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator launched from the deck of the USS George H.W. Bush at 11:18 a.m. EDT off the coast of Virginia. It executed several planned low approaches to the carrier — a carrier landing will take place at a later time — and then flew across Chesapeake Bay to land at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., after an approximately 65-minute flight.”

George P. Bush is running for state land commissioner in Texas, where his uncle served as governor — later to be elected president, like his father. But only one has a ship named after him:

The GHWB CVN 77 keeping watch on a training exercise #gonavy twitter.com/georgepbush/st…

— George P. Bush (@georgepbush) April 29, 2013

Original post is George Bush Launches Drone by Political Capital.

Photograph by Paramount/Everett Collection

The Klingon Bird of Prey from “Star Trek: The Voyage Home.”

Which is the U.S. Navy talking, and which is Star Trek talking?

One of the descriptions below comes from the Navy’s words for the Littoral Combat Ship, or LCS, a fast boat from Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics designed to defeat threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and other fast surface craft.

The other comes from Star Trek’s manual for the inter-galactic, warp speed-capable Klingon Bird-of-Prey, a warship deployed by the Klingon Empire serving Klingon Defense Forces from the late 23rd century into the late 24th century.

1)  “Design philosophy has always centered on tried-and-tested methods and places great importance on the ability to mass-produce ships at great speed. The modular design means that the maximum number of ships can be produced at the fastest possible rate.”

2)   “Wargames and field experimentation have demonstrated the value of distributing combat power among modular-mission platforms — small surface craft with reconfigurable on- and off-board systems which are networked to warfighters.”

Which is the Navy, which is Star Trek?

Think first, then find the answer below:

2): Navy

Original post is Star Trek vs. Navy: Klingons vs. Lockheed Martin by Political Capital.

Photograph by Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

Marine One, with U.S. President Barack Obama on board, passes the Washington Monument in Washington.

Let’s try this again:

The U.S. Navy last week announced plans for a competition to develop and build a new fleet of presidential helicopters.

The draft notice came three years after the service canceled a contract with Lockheed Martin Corp. for a similar program after costs more than doubled to $13 billion from $6 billion. The increases were driven partly by changing specifications for the aircraft.

As part of the new program, known as VXX, the Navy plans to buy about two dozen helicopters to replace aging VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N WhiteHawk aircraft made by United Technologies Corp.’s Sikorsky unit. The Nov. 23 announcement makes it clear the Navy is looking for a proven design.

“Offerors will be highly encouraged to propose an existing, in-production helicopter platform from which the VXX will be derived,” it states.

Four companies have responded to the notice so far, including Sikorsky. The subsidiary of Hartford, Connecticut-based United Technologies has partnered with Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed to compete for the program.

While the Navy buys the helicopters, the Marine Corps flies them.

And when the president is aboard, the call-sign of the chopper is “Marine One.”

Original post is `Marine One’ Contractors Bid Anew by Political Capital.

Photograph by Justin Lane/EPA

A United States Postal Service truck in New York.

While Congress is out and President Obama campaigns in Colorado, government agencies in Washington are hard at work today, doing what they do best: issuing reports on deficits.

The U.S. Postal Service today reports what’s expected to be its 11th consecutive quarterly loss. There’s little hope of good news. The 237-year-old government-backed mail carrier skipped a required $5.5 billion payment to the U.S. Treasury due Aug. 1 to conserve cash.

The Labor Dept. reports on the deficit of jobs in the U.S. Jobless claims probably rose to 370,000 last week from 365,000, according to a survey.

The U.S. Navy is inappropriately delaying or scaling back $70 million in needed combat testing of USS Gerald R. Ford, an aircraft carrier that may cost $14.2 billion when all the bills are in, in the name of reducing spending and deficits, Bloomberg News reported today, citing a Pentagon weapons tester.

Some good news on another kind of deficit: the U.S. trade gap may have narrowed to $47.5 billion in June, the smallest in four months, from $48.7 billion in May, according to the median projection in a Bloomberg News survey ahead of a Commerce Dept. report. Falling crude oil prices probably helped cut the nation’s import bill while shipments of capital goods increased.

Meanwhile, U.S. athletes made up for their medals deficit with China. The U.S. swept to four golds in a 35-minute span last night at the London Olympics, propelling the Americans atop the medals standings.

Also today, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration updates its seasonal hurricane forecast. In May the agency predicted a near-normal season with from nine to 15 named storms.

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading commission staff will seek input on ways to protect customer funds held by futures brokerages during a day-long public discussion. The agency is working with futures industry to bolster safeguards and restore investor confidence in wake of client-fund shortfalls left by collapsed brokerages MF Global Holdings Ltd. and Peregrine Financial Group.

And Acting FAA Chief Michael Huerta speaks at closing session of two-day annual air safety forum of the Air Line Pilots Association, the world’s largest pilot union. The forum, attended by pilots from U.S. airlines, is focused on issues such as achieving “one level” of safety for large and regional carriers, avoiding runway collisions, pilot fatigue and unmanned aircraft systems.

Original post is Washington Daybook: No Deficit of Deficits by Political Capital.