Author Archive

Eric Katz

Eric Katz

Senior Correspondent

Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Eric Katz writes about federal agency operations and management. His deep coverage of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Postal Service has earned him frequent guest spots on national radio and television news programs. Eric joined Government Executive in the summer of 2012 and previously worked for The Financial Times. He is a graduate of The George Washington University.
Pay & Benefits

VA's failure to use its new authority to boost pay for doctors draws bipartisan criticism

Department officials, including those in the Trump administration, have long complained that legal pay caps are hurting retention and veteran care.

Pay & Benefits

DHS employees to begin receiving paychecks this week

The Homeland Security Department is still shut down but Trump has ordered immediate back pay anyway.

Management

Privatization, eliminations and consolidations: Major reforms from Trump's budget

The president's fiscal 2027 blueprint contains significant overhauls to the work carried out by federal agencies.

Workforce

See where Trump is looking to make staffing cuts next year and where he wants to grow

The White House wants to stabilize the size of the federal workforce overall in FY27, though some agencies would still experience large reductions.

Management

Civilian agencies face 10% cuts in Trump’s 2027 budget

Dozens of programs and grants face elimination, although proposed cuts to non-defense agencies are smaller than last year and a Defense boost would raise overall spending.

Workforce

Consumer watchdog agency asks court for permission to slash its workforce by two-thirds

The argument that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can carry out its duties with one-third the staff is "laughable," a union official said.

Management

Shutdown poised to continue for DHS after House, Senate take diverging paths

A breakthrough appeared early Friday morning but House Republicans appeared to quickly kill it.

Management

After two days of training, TSA says ICE personnel are ready to help at airports

TSA officers themselves typically train for six months before they are placed on the job, but the agency says ICE is already helping with the shutdown-induced crisis.

Exclusive Workforce

The Trump administration paid these employees not to work for more than a year. It just called them back

Some employees sidelined for their diversity and inclusion jobs received a one year, stress-ridden sabbatical, but are now returning to similar jobs.

Management

Tribal leaders bash USDA's plan to relocate thousands of staff and shutter offices

Agriculture's reorganization would create inconveniences and damage relationships the tribal governments have worked hard to establish, they told the department.

Management

Trump's new DHS nominee promises some changes, adequate staffing amid shutdown-induced departures

DHS will be "adequately staffed" after the shutdown, Markwayne Mullin says, though he warns the ongoing shutdown could have significant mission impacts.

Exclusive Management

Inside DOGE’s early days of pressure campaigns, rule breaking and ‘chaos’

Twenty-three hours of court testimony offer a rare glimpse into the Trump cost-cutting group that officials say “felt more like a club” than the agencies they were breaking.

Workforce

EPA says it will slash workload after IG flags slashed workforce as overburdened

The environmental agency is struggling to handle its grants work after cutting its workforce last year.