Federal Drive with Tom Temin

The Trump administration has been pushing federal agencies to aggressively adopt artificial intelligence capabilities. And now a new Commerce Department center is serving as a gateway for connecting the AI industry with government. To break it all down, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration has 20 additional ideas for improving federal acquisition. These range from dramatically increasing the simplified acquisition and micro purchase thresholds to raising the dollar figures on task order protests to allocating more money for acquisition workforce training. The Office of Management and Budget submitted these legislative proposals to Congress earlier this month. For more on what OMB is asking for, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins me now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first half of the year delivered strong returns for many TSP investors. But rising balances can sometimes mask a more important question: how much risk sits underneath those gains? Here with a midyear reality check is certified financial planner Arthur Stein.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Public-private partnerships are often justified through something known as a Value for Money analysis. New federal guidance aims to make those evaluations more transparent by putting greater emphasis on data, assumptions and documentation. Here to discuss those changes and what they could mean for future infrastructure decisions is Share Habibi, research and policy director at In the Public Interest.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The House has already left town, but the Senate still has a crowded agenda that includes spending legislation, nominations and other administration priorities. Whether lawmakers leave Washington as scheduled may depend on how much of that work they can complete first. Here with the latest is Bloomberg Government's Deputy News Director, Loren Duggan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton . . . The Senate is supposed to start its August recess next week. The question is whether senators will be packing suitcases or unpacking another round of White House priorities Before governments commit billions of dollars to an infrastructure project, they have to decide how they'll measure success A strong market can make investors feel smarter than they really are, it can also make them forget how much risk they're carryingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two recent technology investments illustrate some of the Pentagon's biggest IT bets: consolidating enterprise software purchases and accelerating artificial intelligence across the military. Oracle landed a contract worth up to $7 billion to provide software and services across the Defense Department, while Accenture won an $821 million task order to expand the Pentagon's War Data Platform, which it views as the backbone of many of its AI efforts. They reflect a broader strategy to standardize IT infrastructure, avoid duplicative spending, and make it easier for AI analyze military data. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me now with a closer look.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Information Systems Agency is seeking industry input on its plan to migrate all combatant commands' common-use IT services to the Defense Department Network, after General Dynamics Information Technology challenged the agency's decision to expand the Defense Enclave Services contract to perform the work. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Technology has made remote hiring easier and distributed work more common. It's also created new opportunities for fraud and misrepresentation. In some cases, organizations are discovering the person performing the work isn't necessarily the person they hired. Here to discuss what's at stake for government contractors is Jennifer Jackman, DC managing partner at Ice Miller.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Organizations are investing heavily in AI, but many still struggle with a basic question: can they trust the data feeding those systems? New research suggests governance, recordkeeping and information management may be lagging behind AI adoption. We'll explore what that means for federal managers with Robert Cruz, vice president for regulatory and information governance at Smarsh.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal agencies often struggle to turn high‑level guidance on AI and cybersecurity into everyday decisions about procurement, deployment and risk. NIST's new Cyber AI Profile is meant to help close that gap by showing how AI risk management can work in practice. We'll talk about how it's intended to be used and what not to do with it, with Kat Megas, the program manager for cybersecurity, privacy and AI at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton . . . NIST's Cyber AI Profile is designed to move agencies from abstract frameworks to real operational choices Artificial intelligence is only as reliable as the information behind it. Many organizations are discovering they haven't paid enough attention to that part When an organization hires someone, it assumes it knows who's doing the work. In some cases, that's becoming a risky assumptionSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Throughout this National Whistleblower Day special we've been discussing why disclosures matter and how government encourages them. The final piece is understanding how the federal whistleblower system works in practice. For that perspective, I'm joined by Charles Baldis of the Office of Special Counsel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whether whistleblower programs succeed often depends on what happens after a disclosure is made. Congress is now considering changes aimed at strengthening protections for contractor employees who report wrongdoing tied to federal work. Joining me to discuss those proposals is Tom Devine, legal director of the Government Accountability Project.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

National Whistleblower Day offers a chance to look at why whistleblower protections remain a bipartisan priority. From financial crime to artificial intelligence, policymakers increasingly depend on insiders to identify problems that regulators may never see from the outside. To help put that evolution in context, I'm joined by Stephen Kohn, chairman of the board of the National Whistleblower Center.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton . . . it's National Whistleblower Day The United States has protected whistleblowers since the Continental Congress. Nearly 250 years later, advocates say insiders remain one of the government's most important tools for uncovering wrongdoing and emerging risks If whistleblowers are essential to enforcement, government increasingly wants them to come forward. One recent case shows just how serious that effort has become Encouraging people to speak up is one challenge. Protecting them afterward is another, especially when they work for government contractors Good intentions, incentives and legal protections only matter if employees know where to turn when they uncover a problem. On National Whistleblower Day, we examine the protections, risks and realities of reporting wrongdoing inside governmentSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The House narrowly passed its version of the fiscal 2027 defense policy bill last week despite strong Democratic opposition over the bill's price tag, the war with Iran and a provision that would expand military partnership between the United States and Israel. While much of the attention surrounding the National Defense Authorization Act focuses on the bill's massive price tag, foreign policy and partisan riders, the must-pass package includes several provisions affecting the Defense Department's civilian workforce. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis joins us to break down what measures impacting civilians made it into the bill and what was left out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the Army launched its data operations center in April, the goal was to create a centralized service that will reduce the burden on warfighters. Over the long term, A-DOC hopes to make it easier for warfighters to use artificial intelligence and machine learning tools by turning raw data into refined intelligence. For more on the service's plans for the Army Data Operations Center, Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller caught up with David Markowitz, the Army's chief data and analytics officer at the recent AFCEA TechNet Cyber conference.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, Congress has created boards, commissions and oversight bodies intended to operate with some distance from presidential control. Two recent Supreme Court decisions are providing new insight into how the Court views that balance and what it could mean for the people serving in those roles. Here to help us consider the implications is former FDIC Inspector General Jay Lerner.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Public Citizen has released a new analysis estimating that the deferred resignation program will cost taxpayers at least $11 billion. The report examines where that money went and what agencies may have lost as experienced employees left government service. That degraded mission performance is something much harder to put a price tag on. Here to walk through the analysis is Doug Pasternak, research director of Public Citizen's Trump Accountability Project.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A coalition of 1,200 former Justice Department officials took the unusual step of publicly opposing the nomination of Todd Blanche as Attorney General. Beyond the confirmation debate itself, the episode raises questions about trust, morale and the environment facing career employees. Here with more on what this reveals about today's Justice Department workforce is the executive director and founder of The Justice Connection, Stacey Young.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton It takes a lot for public servants to speak out. More than 1,200 former Justice Department officials recently decided they needed to An $11 billion price tag gets attention. Understanding what government lost in the process may take a lot longer Two recent Supreme Court decisions may have changed the rules for some of government's most independent institutionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's been a busy month for the Space Development Agency. After a months-long pause, SDA has just launched its next batch of satellites after it dealt with issues in the group of communications satellites known as Tranche 1. To explain that strategic pause, and what the agency learned from it. Jennifer Elzea, SDA's director of strategic engagement talked with Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An Army initiative that launched in 2024 wants to reshape how soldiers prepare for future wars. But as the "Transformation in Contact" program has expanded to include the Army National Guard, it's begun to strain the balance between staying ready for today's fight and looking ahead to the next one. Outdated facilities are making it hard to adapt to new technology, and that new technology has started to crowd spaces soldiers still need for regular operations and training. Federal News Network's defense reporter Rachel Cohen joins us with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Governments around the world are rethinking the technologies and capabilities they'll need for future conflicts. I caught up with OJ Sanchez, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, at the Farnborough Airshow to discuss what military customers are asking for now and what lessons industry is taking from today's battlefields.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Building military capability takes more than defense contractors alone. Increasingly, the Pentagon is looking to commercial manufacturers, technology firms and other nontraditional partners to expand the defense industrial base. That's a topic drawing growing attention across the defense community, and my next guest says Michigan is becoming a focal point for that shift. Scott Davis is president of the NDIA Michigan Chapter.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The government says it wants greater access to commercial technology and innovation. But cybersecurity requirements, data protections and agency-specific policies can make the federal marketplace difficult to navigate. Joining me to discuss that balancing act is senior fellow at the George Mason University Baroni Center for Government Contracting and former GSA Administrator, Emily Murphy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton The debate over controlled unclassified information is revealing a larger struggle over how government buys technology The Defense Department is looking for new ways to bring commercial innovation and manufacturing capacity into the national security arena Military leaders are drawing new lessons from conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond. Those lessons are reshaping what they expect from industry and how quickly new capabilities need to reach the fieldSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Space Force leaders argue that doubling the size of the newest branch of the military is a “national security necessity,” roughly 25% of the jobs within the service were unfilled in fiscal 2025, and the service lacks guidance for determining how many people it actually needs to accomplish its missions. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fired probationary employees from the Department of Homeland Security and the Interior Department are continuing to challenge the legality of their terminations last year. This time, they're taking their fight to federal appeals court. The ex-employees are challenging the Merit Systems Protection Board's decision to dismiss their case. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For decades, federal radiation standards have been guided by the principle that exposures should be kept as low as reasonably achievable. Now the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering changes to that framework while maintaining the same scientific assessment of radiation risk. The debate centers on how regulators put that science into practice. Joining me to walk through the issue is Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Trump administration has released its latest Unified Agenda, offering the clearest picture yet of what federal agencies expect to work on in the coming months. While the White House continues to emphasize deregulation, the agenda shows a government that remains deeply engaged in writing and revising rules. Joining me for a closer look, Will Yeatman, the new director of the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was a busy week on Capitol Hill, with House lawmakers advancing spending, defense and other major legislation before leaving town. What happens next will depend on both the Senate and the agencies responsible for implementation. Here with the latest is Mitchell Miller, Capitol Hill correspondent for WTOP.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton . . . Congress can pass legislation. Government still has to implement it. A look at the week on Capitol Hill with Mitchell Miller The Trump administration continues to champion deregulation. But agencies still have thousands of regulatory actions on their to-do lists The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering changes to decades-old radiation protection requirements. At issue is how regulators translate scientific risk into practical operating rulesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Space Force's Space Systems Command already is seeing an increase in trust and confidence when it comes to applying artificial intelligence tools to mission areas. While hard metrics still may be difficult to point to, for areas like source selection or market research, Guardians already are feeling the impact of these new and emerging capabilities. F Schnell is deputy portfolio acquisition executive for the Space Force Infrastructure Office, and Capt. “Doc” Rana is the director of Human-AI Teaming Lab at Space Systems Command. They talked about it with Federal News Network's Jason Miller on our Space and Satellite Exchange. Rana speaks first.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Merit Systems Protection Board is no longer describing itself as “independent.” In recent weeks, the board has been removing the word “independent” from its public-facing materials. The action has raised questions of confidence in other MSPB processes. Here with more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For years, policymakers have looked at military family issues through separate lenses; housing, employment, health care or mental health. But a new study suggests families experience those challenges as an integrated whole. And when those pressures build, the consequences extend beyond the household and into military readiness itself. Here to walk through the details is Gabby L'Esperance, Vice President of Research and Evaluation at Military Family Advisory Network.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The administration says recent personnel changes are intended to make government more effective and improve accountability. But as agencies move from policy announcements to implementation, questions remain about consistency, fairness and the day-to-day realities facing the managers and employees who make government work. John Hatton of NARFE joins me to help us see the forest and not just the trees.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As concerns about threats against judges continue to grow, members of the Supreme Court took the unusual step of personally advocating for additional security funding on Capitol Hill. That appearance may say as much about the pressures facing the judiciary as the dollars being requested. Joining me with her perspective is Isa Ulloa, founder and CEO of the Public Service Alliance.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on the Federal Drive with Terry Gerton It's easy to focus on the latest workforce rule or executive action. But taken together, these changes raise a larger question: what's the right balance between holding employees accountable and helping them perform at their best? What if military readiness starts at the kitchen table? A new survey of more than 10,000 military and veteran families finds that family well-being, financial stability, health care access, and spouse employment are deeply connected—and directly tied to readiness. Supreme Court justices are accustomed to hearing arguments, not making them before Congress. Recently, two justices went to Capitol Hill to make a case for more security funding.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Transportation Security Administration is pushing a new privatized security screening model called Gold-Plus. Now some airports are starting to opt into that initiative. TSA and the airports say it will help modernize airport security screening. But TSA employees are worried about losing their federal jobs. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Army is overhauling how it manages its civilian workforce, issuing a directive that aims to make it easier to reward top performers while speeding up the removal of employees with unacceptable performance. The policy touches everything from disciplinary actions and incentive awards, to leave policies and voluntary separation programs. But those who are up for removal will have less time to defend their work than in the past. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins us with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.