Management
FDA greenlights a new COVID vaccine after a summer of rising numbers of cases
While the death rate from COVID-19 steadily decreased during the first half of the year, it began ticking up slightly in June, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
VA should offer more support for Veterans Crisis Line personnel, watchdog says
VA’s Office of Inspector General found that the Veterans Crisis Line successfully prepared for the launch of the streamlined “988 then press 1” call option for those in crisis but strained supervisors’ ability to guide responders.
GSA will update its property management regulations to reflect gender inclusive pronouns
The agency previously adopted similar updates to regulations governing federal travel earlier this year.
EEOC averts the threat of a one-day furlough
Chair Charlotte Burrows said in a statement that the agency found enough savings to avoid furloughing employees on Aug. 30.
Trump assassination attempt laid bare long-standing vulnerabilities in the Secret Service
A Spotlight PA, ProPublica and Butler Eagle investigation found the process for securing campaign events was susceptible to attack for years.
VA hopes new antifraud tools will help veterans identify, report common scams
Veterans lost $350 million in scams targeting former service members in 2023, according to a government report.
GSA awards contract for $524M CISA headquarters
The agency will leverage its largest Inflation Reduction Act-funded project to date to help construct a 630,000-square-foot building for the cybersecurity agency at the St. Elizabeths West Campus.
Several House Democrats urge USPS to implement heat safety protections for workers
The Biden administration in July issued a proposed rule to protect employees working in extreme heat, but more than 70 members of Congress want the USPS to implement those protections before the rule goes into effect.
Two lawsuits challenge the EPA’s regulation of ethylene oxide
As the regulatory fight over toxic sterilization facilities continues, the health of more than 14 million people may hang in the balance.
SSA has a plan, but wants more funding to get it done
The 2024 agenda’s top priorities for the remainder of the year stem from over 5,000 recommendations from employees.
OPM and OMB unveil a new plan to improve the federal hiring ‘experience’ for both workers and HR managers
The Biden administration’s latest effort to improve the federal hiring process provides a roadmap for implementing decades-old calls for reform.
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A pair of new bills aim to reshape the Secret Service
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., penned new legislation to shift the agency’s jurisdiction for investigating financial crimes and alter how it designates its protective perimeter in the wake of the Trump assassination attempt.
USDA to take ‘additional step’ in testing beef from former dairy cattle for bird flu
The undersecretary for food safety at the USDA said Tuesday that the new testing program follows three studies undertaken during the spring and summer that all found beef in the nation’s food supply is safe to eat.
Updated
Customs and Border Protection settles a $45M lawsuit alleging discrimination against pregnant employees
Plaintiffs said the agency required them to enter temporary light duty status after becoming pregnant, as opposed to giving them the option.
Lack of timeframes and follow-ups led Social Security to delay some priority disability applications
An inspector general’s audit found that while the agency identified and processed 96% of the priority cases reviewed, a slice of applications slipped past monitoring, leading to longer wait times.
Leaked Project 2025 training videos warn aspiring political appointees of ‘persecution’ by career feds
Though the videos don’t overtly discuss the Trump campaign or the Heritage Foundation-led transition project’s endorsement of Schedule F, conservatives repeatedly stressed the need for more “political control” of agencies.
EEOC workers could be furloughed for one day due to budget shortfall
No additional funding and a high pay increase for federal employees helped create the agency’s financial conundrum.
The Good Government Agenda for 2025 and beyond
COMMENTARY | A good presidential Management Agenda is, well, good. But a Good Government Agenda might be better.
GSA updates standards to advance green federal buildings
The Biden administration wants federal buildings to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.
How the FDA could shape the future of psychedelics research
To move the drugs forward, manufacturers may need to follow the agency’s advice for elevating the quality of evidence.
