Tom Temin
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In the world of food, the word organic remains vague, and the rules a bit loose. Now the Agriculture Department has proposed new rules to tighten up the production and handling of food sold as organic.
May 19, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: One senator thinks preserving a secret Parisian butchers’ language was a waste of American tax dollars. Lawmakers want to know what the State Department is going to do about the huge backlog of passport requests. And the Navy redoubles its efforts on mental health.
May 19, 2023 -
I think it's safe to say, from here on out, people will have the choice to either "go in," or telework at least some portion of the week.
May 18, 2023 -
Some things in life are certain. Death, taxes and, wait for it: updates to NIST cybersecurity documents.
May 18, 2023 -
More questions than answers surround the possibility of a government debt default. But it wouldn't be good for federal employees or retirees.
May 18, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: Employees at DoJ urge Congress to oppose an abortion ban that would impact health benefits for feds. Colin Kahl will soon return to Stanford after helping steer the DoD policy ship and steering clear of Twitter. And GSA is increasing the RPMs toward electrifying the federal fleet.
May 18, 2023 -
Federal agencies spend more on grants than they do on procurements. Way more! The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that spending could be more transparent, and could stand a lot more oversight, than it does now
May 17, 2023 -
Agency tech staffs must, by law and regulation, report cybersecurity breaches. But some industry surveys show that organizations do not always report breaches, because who wants their own head to roll?
May 17, 2023 -
Regardless of what deal Congress figures out, federal spending is going to rise sharply next year. That will mean more acquisition contracts than ever. Some federal contractors might have technical debt in their ability to manage large volumes of contracts.
May 17, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: Senate Republicans join House Republicans in calling on federal workers to SHOW UP for work. A Transportation Department data breach puts more than 200,000 feds at risk of ID theft. And professors and Air Force Academy cadets look to have a robot defend bases.
May 17, 2023 -
Debt default would seem, in some ways, like a government shutdown. But it's not. The government is fully appropriated for the rest of fiscal 2023. It is the money to roll over Treasury bills coming due that the government would not have.
May 16, 2023 -
Army camps and bases often feature architecture worth preserving. One example is Camp Dodge, an Army National Guard training facility in Iowa. Its construction and facilities management staff won a Pentagon award earlier this year for restoration of its 1907 gate house and perimeter fence.
May 16, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: The White House is being pressured to name a new cyber executive. A couple have senators have drafted a bill to require federal-agency leadership to get up-to-speed on Artificial Intelligence. And federal correctional officers continue the fight for COVID-19 hazardous-duty pay.
May 16, 2023 -
The General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced the Presidential Innovation Fellows (PIF) cohort for 2023. That means 20 private-sector technology and innovation leaders will start pitching-in at 13 federal agencies.
May 15, 2023 -
If the U.S. is to prevail in the world's strategic hot spots, the Defense Department will have to adopt some of the strategies China seems to be using successfully.
May 15, 2023