Oversight

Administration’s Decision to Halt Election Security Briefings Worries Many

Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said that in an effort to prevent leaks, the intelligence community will no longer provide in-person briefings to Congress about threats, only written updates.

Tech

GovExec Daily: Updating Legacy IT Systems at Agencies

Nextgov's Mila Jasper and Heather Kuldell join the podcast to discuss the progress of IT system upgrades.

Oversight

GovExec Daily: The Postmaster General's Appearances on the Hill

GovExec's Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss Louis DeJoy's two recent appearances before Congress.

Management

Bipartisan Bill Would Standardize Public Health Data and Bolster Sharing

The legislation would also establish a cross-agency working group for ongoing recommendations.

Management

Labor Authority: Unions Can't Do 'Grassroots' Lobbying on Official Time

Although federal employee groups decried the decision, the Federal Labor Relations Authority stopped short of a conservative anti-labor organization's request to outlaw direct lobbying of lawmakers while on official time.

Oversight

Lawmakers Ask Watchdog to Review New Coronavirus Data Reporting System Housed Within HHS 

“We are concerned that these reporting changes undermine the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts,” wrote top House Energy and Commerce Committee members. 

Management

AFGE Pushes for Workforce Protections in Defense Policy Bill Negotiations

The nation’s largest federal employee union urged lawmakers to include collective bargaining protections and fix a soon to be implemented paid parental leave law.

Oversight

The White House Paid Up to $500 Million Too Much for These Ventilators, Congressional Investigators Say

A House panel says “gullible” White House negotiators overpaid for Phillips ventilators, and it has asked the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General to investigate evidence of fraud in the deal.

Oversight

Lawmakers Look to Further Strengthen Whistleblower Protections

Bills in the House and Senate would ban federal officials from blocking employees from sharing information with Congress, prohibit retaliatory investigations and protect more workers.

Defense

Trump Sidesteps Congress To Install Controversial Pentagon Nominee

A legal loophole may allow Tata to take the top job without Senate confirmation at all.

Management

White House Objects to Language Preventing OPM-GSA Merger and Other Workforce Provisions in House 'Minibus' Spending Bill

Veto threat also lists objections to provisions that would undermine the White House’s approach to labor-management relations.

Management

Bipartisan Bill Would Establish Multi-Agency Effort for Carbon Removal 

A committee would develop a strategic plan for research and development on carbon dioxide removal in the air, lands and oceans.

Defense

GOP Senators Stall Tata Nomination for Top Pentagon Post

After Islamophobic remarks, Trump’s controversial pick to be Defense Department’s policy chief is in troubled waters.

Management

Expanded Telework Could Save Individual Feds $2.5K-$4K Annually

Lessons from the pandemic have big implications for federal offices and employees, lawmakers and experts say.

Management

Senate GOP’s Coronavirus Relief Package Would Fund Controversial Plan to Rebuild FBI Headquarters in D.C.

The Trump administration in 2017 scrapped a decade-long plan to reconstruct the facility in the Washington suburbs. 

Oversight

Lawmakers From Both Parties Seek Greater Vaccine Oversight

Under “Operation Warp Speed,” the Trump administration hopes to develop and distribute a vaccine for COVID-19 by early 2021.

Defense

Progressives Mount Assault on Defense Spending Ahead of Stimulus Package, Election

During a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing, one Democrat questioned defense firms access to coronavirus stimulus money.