In today's Federal Newscast: The National Security Agency has a new deputy director. More than 1,500 federal personnel help to handle Hurricane Idalia's destruction. And the Postal Service is having problems delivering the correct amount of pay into its own employees' paychecks.
The industry is trying to understand the extent of new Davis-Bacon regulations for federal construction coming out of the Labor Department. The final rule hasn't quite taken effect, but already contractors to the government — or on federally-funded projects — have a slew of new risk and compliance obligations.
A few years back, the Postal Service purchased 350 automated-guided vehicles to move pallets in its processing center. But according to the USPS Office of Inspector General, the experiment didn't quite work out.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) does not build low-income housing, but it helps finance it. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that HUD officials need to do a better job of monitoring and overseeing the use of Housing Trust Fund dollars.
In today's Federal Newscast: Following a critical report, TSA is taking steps to improve its cybersecurity practices. Federal labor unions want the Senate to move fast to confirm Martin O’Malley to lead the Social Security Administration. And Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst wants an IG to see how badly telework has led to feds "phoning it in."
As threats to the United States multiply, the government will need growing numbers of capable civilians in national security. But creaky apparatus for hiring and clearing people gets in the way. That's from a detailed look by the Center for a New American Security. The Federal Drive got more now from senior fellow Katherine Kuzminski.
The main question now is whether Congress will enact a continuing resolution come October 1, or whether we'll have a government shutdown. Either way, things will get messy come September 30. Joining the Federal Drive with some shutdown preparation tips for contractors, federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen.
In today's Federal Newscast, presidential advisors are calling for the creation of a “Department of Water” to confront what they say are rapidly evolving water crises.
The government's pursuit of false-claims cases never takes a break. So far this year, recoveries have totaled just under $500 million and they appear to be on pace for a full-year-yield of around $2 billion.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of something like 30 agencies that have a hand in disaster recovery. In trying to avoid duplicating benefits to disaster victims, in 2017 HUD started work on a data portal.
Just because Congress is on recess, natural disasters don't stop. Now FEMA is running out of money, thanks in part to the fire in Maui. Just add it to the pile of Hill urgent issues. For the latest, the Federal Drive with Tom Temin spoke with WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller.
With everyone seeming to come to the office on random days, some federal managers have instituted "community days," designated days when everyone is required to come in.
Tens of thousands of American women suffer dangerous complications during pregnancy each year. Some die. Now the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded $24 million in grant money to form a new center of excellence devoted to maternal health research and improvement.
As the government moves towards skills-based hiring, apprenticeships make more and more sense
Two young State Department foreign affairs officers helped secure recent releases of Americans held in by foreign countries. That fact has landed them as finalists in this year's Service to America Medals program, aka "the Sammies." Fletcher Schoen developed the negotiation strategy for basketball player Brittney Griner, among others. And Jennifer Harkins was instrumental in the 2022 release of nine Americans held by Venezuela.