Oversight

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Buddies Tried to Get the VA to Sell Access to Veterans’ Medical Records

A congressional investigation prompted by ProPublica’s reporting found Trump’s “Mar-a-Lago crowd,” wealthy civilians with no U.S. government or military experience, pursued a plan to monetize veterans’ medical data.

Oversight

Watchdog Still Reviewing Trump Administration's Handling of Some Ukraine Funds 

GAO found that the Trump team broke the law by withholding $214 million in Defense funds for policy reasons, but is still looking at another $168 million in State Department funds.

Oversight

Public Health Experts ‘Flabbergasted’ That Biden Still Hasn’t Picked an FDA Chief

The Food and Drug Administration has been mired in controversies related to drug approvals and covid vaccines, all without a permanent leader.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: The Shutdown Watch Begins

Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss the continuing resolution negotiations.

Oversight

New Report Shows 'Deeply Troubling Failures' by Border Patrol in Boy’s Death, Key Congressional Leader Says

The DHS inspector general has confirmed the findings of a ProPublica investigation into the death of a 16-year-old Guatemalan who died in a Border Patrol cell in Texas.

Oversight

How Fauci and the NIH Got Ahead of the FDA and CDC in Backing Boosters

With real-time data streaming in from highly specialized researchers in the U.S. and abroad, NIH scientists became convinced that boosting the COVID-19 vaccine was needed to save lives. A meeting Friday will determine what happens next. Here’s the story from behind the scenes.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: The Sept. 11 Attacks' Effects on Government Administration

Public administration experts join the podcast to discuss how the events of 9/11 have changed the administrative state.

Oversight

Declassifying the 9/11 Investigation

President Biden says he will open up the government’s secret files about the plot, but will they answer the questions that remain?

Oversight

How Memories of Japanese American Imprisonment during WWII Guided the U.S. Response to 9/11

In the wake of 9/11, some called for rounding up whole groups of people viewed as potential threats to the nation. But Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta knew the U.S. had done that before.

Oversight

Watchdog: GSA Didn’t Always Follow Proper COVID-19 Procedures Early On

Agency says issues with delays in notification of positive cases and oversight of pandemic-related cleaning have been addressed.

Oversight

Afghanistan Watchdog to Brief Lawmakers on Tuesday

“It is vital to understand what happened in Afghanistan,” said House Republicans in requesting the bipartisan briefing.

Oversight

Lawmakers Demand Documents From Many Agencies on Jan. 6 Preparation and Response

Information will include how agencies deployed resources and potentially impeded the presidential transition.

Oversight

‘A Moral Obligation’: How Agencies Help Afghan Women Who Can Escape

As the evacuation continues, resettlement agencies in the United States are working overtime to find new homes for those fleeing the Taliban.

Tech

The White House Says Boosters for All. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Federal officials are preparing to offer those who received Pfizer or Moderna covid vaccines a third dose in September. But the FDA and CDC are still reviewing the data for final clearance.

Oversight

Republicans Seek Briefing from Afghanistan Reconstruction Watchdog

“It is unclear if continued U.S. assistance would find its way into the hands of terrorists and be used to finance attacks on Americans,” GOP members wrote.

Oversight

What Does Full FDA Approval of a Vaccine Do if It’s Already Authorized for Emergency Use?

While emergency use authorization gets vaccines out to the public more quickly, it doesn’t skip any steps that full approval requires.

Oversight

U.S. History Shows Spending on Infrastructure Doesn’t Always End Well

The lasting problems of infrastructure aren’t of need or construction, but of overbuilding, delayed costs and the challenges of thinking ahead.