Nextgov

What Color Lightsaber Would Use the Most Energy?

Is R2-D2 battery operated? And other questions pondered by the Energy Department.

Route Fifty

These States Have Relied Most Heavily on Federal Aid

An analysis from the Tax Foundation presents federal aid as a percentage of state revenue for fiscal year 2013.

Nextgov

Obama’s IT Hiring Agenda: Slow but Steady Progress

When it comes to recruiting tech talent, it appears the Obama administration’s efforts to attract top-flight are having an impact.

Nextgov

OPM Still Hasn’t Answered Questions on Background Check Hack, Republicans Say

During a House hearing tomorrow, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee is expected to question a legislative branch liaison from OPM about the holdup and excessive redactions in documents it received.

Route Fifty

Rainy-Day Reserves Remain Short of Pre-Recession Levels in Most State Governments

Projections for fiscal 2016, the current budget year, show decreasing median reserves for the 45 state governments that reported complete data, with 34 state budgets anticipating lower levels relative to operating expenditures than in fiscal 2015.

Route Fifty

Defining Civic Data Standards and Bringing Clarity to Them

Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Government Excellence wants help from cities to refine their definitions and identify more standards.

Route Fifty

Rhode Island Truck Tolling Fracas Heads Into High Gear

Despite widespread agreement among state lawmakers and others that the Ocean State’s bridges need fixing, there is deep discord over how to foot the bill.

Nextgov

Inside the Pentagon’s Plans to Revamp the Global Command and Control System

The modernized system aims for lower costs through agile development, open standards and open source code, and applications designed with the user interface in mind.

Nextgov

Obama Dispatches White House Tech Team to Expand Gun Background Check System

Planned upgrades to the $91.5 million, 30-second background check program already are off track.

News

One-Fourth of Agency Leadership Posts Are Unfilled

103 of the top 379 Cabinet-level administration jobs are missing a Senate-confirmed leader, POLITICO investigation finds.

Route Fifty

Mississippi River Winter Floods to Test Government Response, Army Corps Defenses

Levees are being checked for sand boils as water levels rise. And in Louisiana, there’s no word yet whether the Bonnet Carré and Morganza spillways will be opened.

Nextgov

Is Cloud Computing Saving the Pentagon Money? Watchdog Still Doesn’t Know

DOD lacks a standardized definition for cloud computing and an inventory to track cloud-based contracts.

News

Americans' Biggest Problem in 2015? Government

About one in six Americans identified government as their top concern last year.

Route Fifty

Will Washington State’s Corrections Software Error Turn Up More Tragedies?

“I’m very concerned about what we will uncover as we move forward” in the investigation of the early release scandal, according to the Department of Corrections secretary.

Nextgov

Pentagon Grants Contractors an Extension on Hack Detection Rules

Companies get an extra year-and-a-half to comply with stronger security standards.