Everybody likes a smaller, more efficient government with better services from its agencies and the habit of hiring the best possible people. Throw in a hiring freeze and a reduction through attrition and you end up with a nearly unsolvable equation. Margo Conrad, director of education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service joins Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss the effects the freeze may have on the ability to ensure quality service.
The Justice Department, like a few others, has one or two really big agencies and a lot of small ones. So a big challenge for DoJ Chief Information Officer Joseph Klimavicz is keeping everyone happy and well-equipped while balancing the priorities. Klimavicz describes on Federal Drive with Tom Temin how he is aiming to bring agility into the way his organization delivers IT services.
The Transportation Security Administration has long been working with outdated IT security protocols and equipment. In response, the Homeland Security Inspector General has said the agency is making progress to ensure its IT infrastructure is more stable and secure. Sondra McCauley, DHS assistant Inspector General for IT Audits, explains the updates with Eric White on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.
President Donald Trump decided not to sign a new cybersecurity executive order on Jan. 31, but more specifics of the plan to secure federal and private sector networks emerge.
Although the governmentwide hiring freeze President Donald Trump ordered last week was mainly meant to shrink the federal workforce through gradual, voluntary attrition, it could result in an untold number of unexpected dismissals for Defense workers in charge of repairing and "resetting" military equipment.
The General Services Administration is leasing 20 spaces for high-security government business, in buildings owned by foreign companies. Federal auditors say that doesn't necessarily mean there's a threat to security, but urged GSA to start informing agencies about foreign owners during acquisition.
The Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management released another memo with more details on how agencies should implement the President's hiring freeze. The latest guidance includes exemptions to the hiring freeze and instructions for how agencies should request others.
Maria Horton, CEO of EmeSEc, explains why having a strong cyber incident response plan is critical to your organization’s success.
The Defense Department has been trying to get a clear sense from the White House about what it wants and does not want in the overseas contingency operations (OCO) budget. But the last administration's budget office left those decisions for the new administration. So now what?
The Border Patrol apprehends a lot of people coming into the United States illegally, but not all who cross are the same. There is an elaborate process for screening each offender and ensuring the consequences fit the crime, so to speak. Rebecca Gambler, director of Homeland Security and Justice issues at GAO, questions the Border Patrol system on Federal Drive with Tom Temin.
When Donald Trump, as president-elect, went after the intelligence community on its reports of alleged Russian election hacking, one could say it surprised the establishment. Daniel Benjamin, a former State Department employee and scholar at Dartmouth College, argues on Federal Drive with Tom Temin that it may have sabotaged the Trump Administration's ability to conduct foreign policy.
Freedom of information advocates say the recent uptick in FOIA requests is due to a combination of current events and interest in the presidential transition. But the growing interest does mean an additional burden on already short-staffed FOIA offices.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order further taking aim at what the administration calls the regulatory burden on businesses and citizens.
Some powerful members of Congress have wondered aloud whether more federal agencies should be moved out of Washington. House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) says that would put them closer to the people they regulate. Bob Tobias, professor in the key executive leadership program at American University, tells Federal Drive with Tom Temin that's not such a good idea.
Sources inside the General Services Administration say a town hall at the Technology Transformation Service (TTS) with two White House technology officials brought some reassurances and relief about the future of the organization, particularly 18F.