Management

Donald Trump Pardons Former Border Patrol Agent Gary Brugman, Who Was Convicted of Violating a Man’s Civil Rights

Brugman’s case drew national attention among conservative figures who hailed him for working to secure the U.S. border.

Management

Trump Vetoes Defense Policy Bill Over Base Names, Unrelated Internet Law

The House has already scheduled a vote after Christmas to override the president’s long-threatened rejection of the annual Defense authorization act, which also includes an expansion of federal employee leave benefits.

Management

As Biden Gets Sworn In, White House Will Get Scrubbed Down

The executive mansion will get a deep clean after two COVID-19 outbreaks this fall led to President Donald Trump and members of his staff and family becoming infected.

Management

GovExec Daily: Examining President Trump's Rhetoric

Katherine McIntire Peters and Tom Shoop join the podcast to discuss the ways the 45th president has made his mark on government, leadership and politics.

Workforce

GovExec Daily: The Trump Presidency's Effect on Workforce Management

Dr. Donald F. Kettl joins the podcast to look retrospectively at the past four years and how they've shaped the management of the civil service.

Workforce

Federal Employees to Get a Full Day Off on Christmas Eve

President Trump issues an executive order that breaks with recent precedent by granting vacation for all of Dec. 24, rather than a half-day.

Oversight

White House Trade Adviser Violated Hatch Act Multiple Times, Watchdog Finds 

The Office of Special Counsel recommended disciplinary action, but the Trump administration has been weak on enforcing the law prohibiting political activity in the federal workplace. 

Management

Good Government Group Urges Feds to Lobby Congress Against Schedule F

In a rare move, the Partnership for Public Service asked the public to contact lawmakers to muster opposition to the Trump administration’s effort to politicize the federal civil service.

Pay & Benefits

White House Now Supports 2021 Pay Freeze, but Only for Civilians

The announcement marks a reversal for the Trump administration, which previously proposed a 1% across-the-board pay increase for all federal employees.

Defense

EXCLUSIVE: Details Revealed in Trump’s Lame-Duck Pentagon Budget Draft

Some of the numbers are “fabricated,” says one official. But they shed light on GOP lines of attack awaiting Biden.

Defense

Democrats See GOP Electioneering in Air Force Choice of Georgia for C-130 Base

A Trump appointee wants Air National Guard planes sent to the state that holds the key to Senate control.

Oversight

Trump Races to Weaken Environmental and Worker Protections, and Implement Other Last-Minute Policies, Before Jan. 20

The Trump administration is rushing to approve dozens of eleventh-hour policy changes. Among them: The Justice Department is fast-tracking a rule that could reintroduce firing squads and electrocutions to federal executions.

Management

Transition Roundup: Trump Refuses to Concede; Biden Teams Prepare to Go Into Agencies

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

Management

OMB Advises Agencies on Contractors’ Limiting Their Use of Foreign Workers

The agency issued a memo to supplement President Trump’s executive order in August. 

Management

A Brief History of Presidents Snubbing Their Successors – and Why the Founders Favored Civility Instead

'Mind your manners' isn't just something your mother told you. Manners – and civility – are an essential component of how things get done in government, and the Founding Fathers knew it.

Management

Biden Team Says Transition Delay Could Hinder Vaccine Distribution

“More people may die if we don’t coordinate,” with the Trump administration, said President-elect Joe Biden earlier this week.

Tech

Did Trump Delay the Arrival of At-Home Coronavirus Testing?

Some experts think that at-home testing can stop coronavirus outbreaks, and that the government should have been doing more to produce the tests.