Management

Coronavirus Roundup: HHS Awards $21 Million to Get Ready for New and Emerging Pathogens 

There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.

Oversight

A GOP Showdown Over the Debt Limit Could Grip Congress and the Nation Next Year

Republicans unhappy about government spending may push a federal shutdown

Workforce

Environmental Protection Agency Workers File Suit Over Remote Work Policies

EPA workers in the agency's largest region allege that their remote work requests have been unfairly denied.

Oversight

Most Voters Skipped ‘In Person on Election Day’ when Offered a Choice of How and When to Vote

Nearly two-thirds of all votes cast in the 2020 presidential election were made through early in-person voting or by mail, rather than by people who visited their local polling places on Election Day.

Pay & Benefits

The Education Department Announces More Tweaks to Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Although temporary measures making the program easier to access will be unavailable from November until next July, officials said they are prepping a new one-time adjustment for applicants involved in income-driven repayment plans.

Workforce

Employers Are Concerned About Covering Workers’ Mental Health Needs, Survey Finds

Nearly half of large employers report that increasing numbers of their workers were using mental health services, according to a KFF annual employer survey. Yet almost a third of those employers said their health plan’s network didn’t have enough behavioral health care providers for employees to have timely access to the care they need.

Pay & Benefits

For Some, Retirement Just Means a Different Kind of Work

One path to financial security is to continue earning money after your federal career ends.

Management

Two Outgoing Lawmakers Are Jockeying for Slots on the USPS Board

Before exiting Congress, two Democrats are soliciting support for nominations from President Biden.

Management

Here’s One Way to Help the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity Succeed

Minority entrepreneurs would benefit from tools, mentorship and peer support to navigate the complex world of federal procurements. 

Management

More than 60% of Puerto Ricans Seeking FEMA Aid After Hurricane Maria Had Their Applications Denied – Will The Agency Approve More This Time?

Within two weeks of Hurricane Fiona, FEMA had accepted most Puerto Rican housing aid applications. Nearly all those early approvals cover only $700 in assistance and won’t pay the tab for rebuilding.

Tech

Senators Applaud Intelligence Leader’s Commitment to Declassification Reform

The senators are trying to focus more resources on artificial intelligence and access-control technologies for agencies to appropriately categorize documents in the digital age.

Tech

How Government Might Work Up to 3D-Printed Buildings

Panelists at the Imagine Nation ELC Conference noted that for some emerging technologies—like large-scale 3D printing and augmented reality—agencies may have to “start with smaller.”

Management

That Time a Lawyer Invented the Government Shutdown

For nearly 200 years, shutdowns simply didn’t happen, even when Congress didn’t finish spending bills.

Tech

GovExec Daily: The Space Industry's Workforce and Financial Outlook

Space Foundation's Richard Cooper joins the podcast to discuss the state of worldwide space industry.

Workforce

Social Security Union Rallies Outside the Agency's Headquarters for Funding, Bargaining and Training

An internal survey conducted by the American Federation of Government Employees found that 4 in 10 field office respondents are considering leaving the agency within the next year.

Oversight

Republicans Want a Briefing to Find Out How Well (Or Not) Agencies Are Cooperating With the Afghanistan Watchdog

“Some of these allegations [about failure to provide information] are simply false,” said a State Department spokesperson.

Pay & Benefits

OPM's Ahuja Gets an Earful from Agencies Over Enhanced Pay for Cyber Talent

The director of the Office of Personnel Management is navigating the intense competition among federal agencies for in-demand cybersecurity workers.

Defense

Aides Recall How Ash Carter Changed Pentagon’s Weapons Buying

Over decades, the physicist-turned-defense leader worked to speed up and streamline arms procurement.