Podcasts about federal news network

Customer satisfaction with benefits and services provided by the federal government is higher than it's been in nearly two decades. That's despite a tumultuous year where agencies have seen a major downsizing of the federal workforce. Scores are higher on average, but the latest scorecard from the American Customer Satisfaction Index shows a few agencies are seeing lower scores. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman spoke with associate professor of marketing at Michigan State University and director of research emeritus at ASCI, Forrest Morgeson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Department wants to shake up how it works with value-added resellers. In a draft memo obtained by Federal News Network, the Pentagon would place a 5% cap on most fees charged by resellers. DoD will start with a specific special item number or SIN for IT products. For more on what DoD is planning, Federal News Network's executive editor Jason Miller joins me now with exclusive details.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Senior executives across government have some new opportunities for development. The Office of Personnel Management has just launched two new training series. They'll focus on topics like budget, policy and human capital management while also incorporating many of the Trump administration's overhauls to the federal workforce this year. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman gets more from OPM Director Scott Kupor.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The D.C. Armory transformed into a place of gratitude last week as D.C. National Guard members and their families lined up for free Thanksgiving meals at an annual event hosted by the nonprofit Operation Homefront. With grocery prices rising and many service members still feeling the financial strain of the recent shutdown, the organization says demand for assistance has surged. Food requests alone are up 57% from last year. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Operation Homefront Senior Director Vivian Dietrich about their Holiday Meals for Military program. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forty former state attorneys general signed a letter urging Congress to fund judicial security after threats tracked by the US Marshal Service surged in recent years. Federal News Network's Jared Serbu spoke with Former Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel to learn how federal judges took the unprecedented step of asking for help and what's driving intimidation from federal courtrooms to state judiciaries nationwide.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Future Tech Enterprise fed 29 years of procurement responses into an AI model and cut an RFQ team from seven people to one. Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with CEO Bob Venero to understand why he believes the Defense Department should use the same technology to evaluate bids faster and cheaper. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

EPA enforcement cases have plummeted, even as non-compliance rates climb. Now, a major staffing cut at the Justice Department's environmental section and a federal shutdown that paused inspections leave enforcement at a crossroads. Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Former EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator Stacy Geis about the resource drain crippling environmental enforcement and whether states can fill the widening gap.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new survey finds that nearly every service member living in privatized military housing has experienced serious problems in their home and many of those issues go unresolved. The Change the Air Foundation recently launched the Safe Military Housing Survey, one of the most comprehensive efforts yet to collect data the Defense Department has never been able to track accurately. The nonprofit found that three quarters of respondents were dealing with mold and microbial growth, which is extremely hazardous to a person's health. For more, Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Erica Thompson, a military spouse and the military families' liaison for the Change the Air Foundation, and Brandon Chappo, director of public policy at the foundation.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it comes to getting spare parts for military systems, it's not always as easy as simply placing an order. Sometimes the original manufacturers no longer exist. Sometimes wait times are excruciatingly long. That's one reason the Navy wants to make the best use it can of the materials it already owns. A new effort by Naval Supply Systems Command aims to help do that by reusing as many items as possible from decommissioned units, instead of sending them away for disposal as surplus property. Robert Medina is the deputy director for NAVSUP's West Coast Consumable Asset Reutilization Program, and Doug Murphy is the material management and warehouse utilization product and service lead. They talked about it with Federal News Network's Jared Serbu. Murphy speaks first. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Albania has appointed an AI system named Diella as a cabinet-level ‘minister' overseeing public procurement. The move raises big questions about accountability, transparency, and whether algorithmic governance is a glimpse of the future or a risky one-off. Federal News Network's Eric White explores what this means for democracy and decision-making with Sam Adebayo, a contributor for Forbes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

President Trump's transition into the White House earlier this year was not exactly usual. The administration departed from several norms of the presidential transition process, leaving open some big questions for the future. The Partnership for Public Service has some key takeaways from the latest presidential transition along with recommendations for reforming the process. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman gets more from the Partnership's vice president of government affairs, Jenny Mattingley.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congress directed the Trump administration to rescind shutdown-era layoffs as part of a spending deal that ended the government shutdown. Some employees targeted by layoffs say they haven't been brought back and that the language in the continuing resolution supports their push for reinstatement. But agencies say some of their reductions in force will remain in effect. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here with the details. 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 taking the next step in its ambitions to start using small nuclear reactors to power critical infrastructure on at least some of its bases. This week, the service started the solicitation process for its Janus program via the Defense Innovation Unit, and assuming the technology works out the way the Army thinks it will, we now also know some of the first bases that are most likely to benefit from it. Details here from Federal News Network's Jared Serbu,See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

USDA issued just five Animal Welfare Act fines in the 14 months after the Supreme Court's SEC v. Jarkesy decision, down from 63 in the prior period. Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Animal Welfare Institute attorneys Ashley Ridgway and Joanna Makowska to understand what a securities fraud case has to do with animal protection enforcement.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Office of Personnel Management has kicked off another major human resources modernization effort. And unlike its effort to consolidate 119 different HR systems across the government, this one came with little fanfare. OPM is planning to revamp the USA Hire platform, which provides agency hiring managers candidate assessment tools, with the goal of making evaluations more efficient and leading to higher quality of applicants. For more on OPM's newest HR IT modernization initiative, 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.

Imagine entering the Carousel of Progress at Disney World, but instead of showing you the possibilities of life in the future, it showed you what a government of the future may look like. That's the aim of The Future State Initiative. In collaboration with the Federation of American Scientists, it conducted an exercise imagining what the U.S. government should look like in 2050. Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Loren DeJonge Schulman, Senior Advisor for Government Capacity at the Federation of American Scientists.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A federal union is suing the Bureau of Prisons over the recent cancelation of its collective bargaining agreement. The lawsuit comes after BOP ended its contract in September, arguing that the union had become an "obstacle to progress." The American Federation of Government Employees is now alleging that the agency's decision violated the law. 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.

A government watchdog is sounding the alarm about a growing national security threat, one that comes from the everyday digital traces service members and their families leave online. A new Government Accountability Office report warns that publicly accessible data from social media posts and location tracking to routine Defense Department press releases can be pieced together by bad actors to identify military personnel and disrupt military operations. GAO says the Pentagon has taken some steps to address the threat, but its efforts remain scattered and lack coordination. For more, Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis spoke with Joe Kirschbaum, director of the defense capabilities and management team at GAO.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A bipartisan bill that would end the Trump administration's rollback of collective bargaining rights for most federal employees is guaranteed to get a full House vote now that the majority of lawmakers support it. A group of 218 lawmakers have signed on to a discharge petition that would force a floor vote. A Republican lawmaker co-sponsored the bill, and two other Republican lawmakers helped get this bill moving. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here with more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Federal Communications Commission is set to reverse cyber security rules for telecommunications providers. The Commission will meet Thursday to rescind requirements that were put in place following the Salt Typhoon hacks. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday 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 nation's waterways may have some more reckless driving on them. Among the Trump administration's cuts to government spending, the Coast Guard planned to cut funding for boating safety grants to states and non profits. To find out what this could mean for the maritime community and to get a little more insight into how they work, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with David Kennedy, Government Affairs Manager for the boat insurance company, BoatUS.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 racing to field a prototype assault aircraft by early 2027 that flies twice as fast and twice as far as the Black Hawk. Colonel Jeffrey Poquette and Bell's Ryan Ehinger explained to Federal News Network's Jared Serbu how 215 flight hours on the V-280 Valor demonstrator proved tilt rotor technology works, why maintainers with virtual toolboxes are fixing design problems before metal gets cut, and how digital twins for every aircraft will slash 70% of lifecycle costs typically spent on sustainment.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last week's conclusion of the record breaking government shutdown was great news for federal employees in general, but for a few thousand feds, it was even better news. They'd been told they were about to lose their jobs completely, and those positions are now safe. That's thanks to a provision of the legislation that undid reductions in force that happened during the shutdown. Recent court documents shed more light on exactly how many employees the Trump administration tried to fire during that timeframe. Federal News Network's Jared Serbu is here with more details on what we learned from those tallies. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Logistics Agency may have solved two problems. Every agency tends to struggle with attracting new and innovative companies and changing the culture of its workforce to work with those companies. DLA's tech accelerator team has shown over the last several years that it can use private sector methods to take an agile approach to solving problems, using interviews, data and market research. For more on the tech accelerator team, Federal News Network's executive editor Jason Miller, talked with David Koch, the Director of Research and Development at the Defense Logistics Agency.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Congress works to finalize the fiscal 2026 defense policy bill, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren is calling out a leading industry group for trying to block bipartisan right to repair efforts that would give soldiers the ability to fix their own equipment. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis is here to help us sort it out. 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 is looking to hire thousands of federal law enforcement personnel as part of expanded immigration enforcement efforts. But the courts handling these cases aren't seeing the same surge in resources. Several immigration judges recently fired by the Justice Department say the court system is losing staff and it's unable to address a multi million case backlog. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here with more details.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The bill that reopened the government also includes a temporary extension of a landmark cyber information law, the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 expired on October 1. Now it's in force again, at least until January 30. Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me with more on what could be a complicated reauthorization path for CISA 2015. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thousands of federal contractors today are watching their inboxes, waiting for a message from their agency customers that their invoices for work done over the last two months have been accepted. Many of those bills are more than 30 days old, triggering interest payments due to the companies. At least one veteran owned HUBZone firm has about $20 million in outstanding invoices that are now more than 30 days old. Federal News Network's executive editor Jason Miller joins me to discuss why agencies now face a new challenge with the shutdown ending, complying with the Prompt Payment Act. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For years, the Cyber CORPS Scholarship for Service program has provided agencies with a steady pipeline of cyber talent, but now the program is at a crossroads as Cyber CORPS students struggle to find work amid the ongoing federal hiring freeze, many are now facing the prospect of having to pay back their scholarship. Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me with more info on this situation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A spending deal to end the longest government shutdown also keeps some agencies funded through the end of the fiscal year. That includes the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is still going through an agency reorganization. Lawmakers have included language that ensures the VA doesn't shed too many employees. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here with more insight. 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 scrapped this year's Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. That's the government's signature assessment of trends in the federal workforce. But in the absence of FEVS, a new opportunity has emerged for federal employees to make their voices heard. Federal News Network's Drew Friedman got more from experts at the Partnership for Public Service, which has just launched its first ever public service Viewpoint Survey. Michelle LaMonte is Senior Vice President of government programs, and Max Steyer is the partnership's president and CEO. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Defense Acquisition System as you know it, is dead. That's according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who promised to completely change how the Pentagon does business. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis is here with more of the details.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employee unions are suing the Trump administration for including a new essay question on most job applications. One of the questions asks candidates how they plan to advance the Trump administration's priorities. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit say that amounts to a loyalty test for the nonpartisan civil service Federal News Network's Jory Heckman is here with more details. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employees are experiencing disruptions in the workplace at a rate nearly three times the national average. Close to one-third of federal employees say their workplace has been disrupted to a very large extent this year, according to new data from Gallup. For more on the latest findings, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman spoke with a Gallup director and Senior Consultant, Camille Lloyd.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The decision by the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 high volume markets beginning this morning, isn't just a reaction to the now longest partial government shutdown ever. FAA is seeing the strain on air traffic controllers who are starting to call out sick more often. A new Federal News Network pulse poll finds FAA employees aren't the only ones working without pay that may be calling out sick or taking part in a sick out if this shutdown continues deep into November. Federal News Network's executive editor Jason Miller joins me now to discuss what we found in our latest survey. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Starting Monday, some Defense contracts will require verified cybersecurity compliance under new CMMC rules. But contractors face murky thresholds, shifting clause language, and real risks to eligibility. For the details on the changes, Federal News Network's Jared Serbu spoke with Dan Ramish, partner at Haynes Boone.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of the first major cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency hit the U.S. Agency for International Development. About 85% of its programs were eliminated, and the rest, including emergency food aid, were folded into the State Department. That food aid program has long had bipartisan support, but the transition hasn't been seamless. Federal News Network's Eric White recently spoke with Vincent Smith from the American Enterprise Institute to explore the program's growing pains.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pentagon leaders came under fire Tuesday for quietly reorganizing part of the Defense Department's policy office without notifying Congress. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis is here with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The government shutdown is rippling through the world of intellectual property. To find out which parts of the IP system remain lit, and which have gone dark, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Jarom Kesler, a partner with Knobbe Martens.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Office of Personnel Management is hinting at some upcoming initiatives aiming to bring more tech talent into the federal workforce. At the same time, OPM says it's looking to improve early career recruitment and focus more on applicant skill sets rather than job titles. But OPMs big hiring goals also come after hundreds of thousands of feds have left their jobs this year. 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.

The vast majority of employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs are still working during the government shutdown, and most are being paid on time through advanced appropriations. Even so, tens of thousands of VA employees are not getting paid right now because they're either furloughed or working without pay. Veteran Service Organizations say that the shutdown has also limited their services to veterans. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman has been covering this.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Pentagon Cyber Security Maturity Model certification is less than a week away from becoming an official acquisition rule. Now the Defense Department's lead Small Business Office is polling companies about their readiness to meet the CMMC requirements for more on CMMC finally becoming a reality 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.

Military pay is always front and center of any government shutdown. It can also serve as a motivator to get members of Congress moving before they go too long. On the other side though are the servicemembers themselves, many of whom rely solely on that paycheck to get through their daily lives. To get some insight on the impact this particular shutdown is having on today's military, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Jim Whaley, CEO of the nonprofit Mission Roll Call, and a 20 year Army veteran himself.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal employees planning to retire are now navigating ORA, the new online platform replacing OPM's paper-based process. The system is designed to streamline retirement, but early users are facing delays, confusion, and communication breakdowns. For insight on what's working and what's not, Federal News Network's Eric White spoke with Thiago Glieger, a retirement planning expert at RMG Advisors.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Though many federal employees have been through shutdowns in the past, a significant majority say things are very different this time. Around about 70% of respondents to a recent Federal News Network survey say the current shutdown feels much less certain than usual. Some survey takers also say the Trump administration's recent actions have only built on the challenges feds have faced this year. Here with more on the survey results is 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.

The Trump administration is starting to develop a new National Cyber Security Strategy. Several presidential administrations, including Trump's first, have tried to get their arms around securing US interests in cyberspace, but digital threats to agencies and critical infrastructure have only gotten worse, while artificial intelligence is posing a whole new set of challenges. For more on how the White House is addressing those issues, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Small Business Administration acted in record time to suspend ATI Government Solutions from federal contracting. SBA made the decision the day after a video emerged from the O'Keefe Media Group, a right wing activist organization, showing that an official from ATI admitted to defrauding the SBA is eight a program for more on the broader implications of the ATI suspension. Federal News Network executive editor Jason Miller joins us now to discuss.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are showing up to work and not getting paid on time during the second longest government shutdown. State Department employees who process passports are among those working without pay. That's an unusual step, because that part of the agency is fee funded, and it can normally pay staff on time during a lapse in congressional funds. Federal News Network's Jory Heckman has been covering this issue, and he joins us now with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Environmental Protection Agency is deepening its work with water utilities on cyber security issues. The EPA has recently launched a program to scan for Internet exposed devices at water and wastewater facilities. That work comes amid rising concerns about nation state hackers targeting water systems and other critical infrastructure for more Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday is here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With open season just around the corner, rising premiums may be top of mind for enrollees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, but there are a number of other changes that employees and annuitants will want to be aware of for Plan Year 2026 that includes several plans entering or leaving FEHB, as well as benefits changes across the government's insurance programs. For more, Federal News Network's Drew Friedman recently sat down with the Director of Marketing and Fundraising at Consumers Checkbook, Kevin Moss. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.