Tom Temin
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The Veterans Affairs Department has long had a nationwide network of facilities so it could be close to those it serves. But now it's taking that a step further, with a fleet of mobile medical units on wheels.
August 18, 2023 -
You're heard of the term cancel culture: getting rid of people with unpopular opinions. It's not all that new. The popular new movie Oppenheimer re-enacts the revocation of the scientist's security clearance in the 1950s, because of his opposition to the hydrogen bomb. What about today?
August 18, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: The General Services Administration is taking on unconscious bias with identity-verification technology. The Patent office changes the name of its scholars program from Thomas Edison to Marian Croak. And sexual harassment at America's military academies shows no sign of improvement.
August 18, 2023 -
The Labor Department is out with a final rule to update how the government determines wages it will allow in federal construction contractors, as well as in federally assisted construction.
August 17, 2023 -
Ever get a cut and use cotton gauze to wipe it up? Cotton gauze is just cotton gauze, right? Not to my next guest. He developed new cotton fabrics that have proven more effective in trauma care and other medical requirements than the traditional ones. In fact, his invention is the first new medical gauze in 50 years.
August 17, 2023 -
The Federal Communications Commission has established a task force to deal with privacy and data protection, noting what it calls the era of always-on connectivity.
August 17, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: Congress weighs-in on the process of how agencies are moving to the cloud. Mental-health struggles remain a concern for those seeking security clearances. And feds get a little boost in their reimbursable travel allowance.
August 17, 2023 -
When the Supreme Court ruled against race-based admissions at Harvard University, it opened the door to preference programs across the board. Recently a federal district court in Tennessee forced the Small Business Administration to suspend applications from small businesses to join the 8(a) program for disadvantaged companies.
August 16, 2023 -
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees get their paychecks issued by the National Finance Center, which is operated out of New Orleans by the Agriculture Department. The whole place is in danger of meltdown because of staffing, budget, technology and even storm damage problems.
August 16, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: The FBI is getting a new leader to take on insider threats. The Defense Department mobilizes resources to help in Hawaii. And the saga of the CIO-SP4 contract continues.
August 16, 2023 -
It doesn't have boiling flasks or people in white coats, but a lot happens in the Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL) operated by the Homeland Security Department.
August 15, 2023 -
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is on the Government Accountability Office's High Risk List. It is there primarily because of its long-term fiscal uncertainty and questions about whether, in the long run, it can pay the benefits it owes retired Americans. But SSA also has an other internal management problem, stemming from its Office of Inspector General.
August 15, 2023 -
The National Finance Center is technically deficient, suffers from poor internal and external communications, and provides sub-par customer experience, according to the findings of a new and widely reported study.
August 15, 2023 -
Advance contracts and GSA contracts for state and local governments, are a couple of the avenues by which the federal government and its acquisition system will get aid to fire-ravaged Maui.
August 15, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: An IRS watchdog says the handling of sensitive taxpayer records is often sloppy. CISA launches a new program to help bolster the network security of critical infrastructure organizations. And Republicans look to "get feds out of the classroom" by freezing hiring at the Education Department.
August 15, 2023