The identity crisis threatening federal watchdogs
COMMENTARY | Inspectors general are caught between executive branch priorities and statutory independence, and the debate over how to fix them is coming to a head.
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America needs a GPS backup, and California leads the way
COMMENTARY | Signals can be jammed or spoofed, but new systems are being tested that would avoid those disruptions and provide a resilient backup.
Texas officials acknowledge problems with voter registration system and say they’ll work with local election officials to fix it
Election officials for more than a year sought fixes to the state’s voter registration and management system, known as TEAM. The Secretary of State’s Office will create working groups and commission an audit.
USDA’s request to lift stay on employee relocations denied by federal judge
USDA’s second-largest component agency sent “corrected” notices telling employees they were not being relocated, after Government Executive reported that it seemingly violated a court order.
Here’s how the Trump administration may face pushback from a Democrat-controlled Congress
A House committee's top Democrat is reminding agency heads to preserve all records, as the party draws up its post-midterms oversight plans.
GSA names new acquisition chief after months with acting leader
Jennifer Hill, a former banking executive who joined the agency in February, will lead the Federal Acquisition Service. GSA also named a new head of its public buildings division.
Companies warn cyber threat sharing could suffer without new legal protections
A coalition of 35 industry groups is pressing Congress to extend liability safeguards for businesses that share cyberattack data with federal agencies, with the current stopgap set to expire next month.
State Department seeks mid-career hires to join its ranks after widespread layoffs
The Lateral Entry Pilot Program marks State’s latest step to rebuild its workforce. Employees it laid off last year haven’t had much luck in the hiring process.
More Medicare questions? Here’s what federal retirees need to know
Got questions about HSA contributions, TRICARE For Life or keeping FEHB or PSHB when you enroll in Medicare? Here are answers to help you navigate the details of your federal health benefits.
Mediation agency finalizes rule allowing denial of arbitrator requests
Union officials said that though the final rule is an improvement over the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service’s initial plan, it still improperly usurps arbitrators’ authority.
White House takes Texas water cybersecurity model to rural hospitals
Project Lifeline 250 will provide free cybersecurity assistance to South Carolina hospitals, extending the administration’s effort to connect vulnerable infrastructure operators with industry support.
Law enforcement agencies’ use of license plate reader data faces fresh scrutiny
Officers and agencies who illegally share license plate reader data must face consequences, the Virginia Senate majority leader says.
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The identity crisis threatening federal watchdogs
COMMENTARY | Inspectors general are caught between executive branch priorities and statutory independence, and the debate over how to fix them is coming to a head.
USDA’s request to lift stay on employee relocations denied by federal judge
USDA’s second-largest component agency sent “corrected” notices telling employees they were not being relocated, after Government Executive reported that it seemingly violated a court order.
GSA names new acquisition chief after months with acting leader
Jennifer Hill, a former banking executive who joined the agency in February, will lead the Federal Acquisition Service. GSA also named a new head of its public buildings division.
VA staffing losses are disrupting critical services at multiple hospitals
At one New Jersey facility, departures left gaps in surgery, wound care and other services. ProPublica found similar disruptions at VA hospitals in three other states.
Lawmakers propose banning Flock camera grants by Texas agency
The grants, funded by a fee on Texans’ auto insurance policies, helped install more than 3,200 of the surveillance cameras.
Government’s AI publishing problem is now a coordination problem
COMMENTARY | That coordination problem may require a National AI Feed, which provides a record and clearer information about who actually said what.
What federal agencies stand to gain by hiring more veterans
COMMENTARY| The IRS has made veteran recruitment a workforce priority. Its chief human capital officer explains why military experience can be an asset across government.
Honoring veterans means keeping our promises to them
COMMENTARY | Veterans facing delayed care, disrupted services and long waits for benefits depend on a VA workforce equipped to meet their needs.
Feds urge judge to block OPM’s gender affirming care ban
Experts say between 40,000 and 60,000 transgender federal workers have been or will be impacted by the Trump administration's effort to ban coverage of hormone therapies and other gender-affirming treatments.
Federal agencies want young talent. They need to rethink the pitch, experts say
Despite the Trump administration’s cuts to the civil service, recruiting more early-career workers into agencies has been a bipartisan priority.
USPS ‘got the job done’ delivering ballots, as postal unions push to permanently block mail-in voting EO restrictions
A largely self-funded USPS is asking the incoming Democrat-controlled Congress for substantially more funding as the agency looks to avoid running out of cash.
Election results mean a ‘new day’ for state government, civic tech leader says
Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, told Route Fifty the bevy of new governors can use technology to weather coming storms, and plan for a brighter future.
