Management

Intelligence office names 2 officials to coordinate election security efforts ahead of 2026 midterms

After months of uncertainty about how leadership for election-related work would be structured for the 2026 cycle, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has tapped two senior officials to help coordinate agency efforts to track and counter threats, according to people familiar with the matter.

Pay & Benefits

More GLP-1 options are coming for federal retirees, but they come with a catch

A new Medicare program launching July 1 broadens access to drugs like Zepbound and Foundayo, but federal annuitants need to know how the $50 copay will affect their catastrophic limits.

Tech

House Homeland panel gets a rare look at advanced AI tool amid escalating cyber concerns

The House Homeland Security Committee was briefed on Anthropic's Mythos as officials and executives weigh how frontier systems could reshape vulnerability discovery, national security competition and access across federal agencies.

Management

White House withholds $1.3B in Medicaid payments to California amid broader fraud crackdown

Vice President JD Vance said the administration will audit states’ Medicaid Fraud Control Units and threatened to “turn off” federal funding for the watchdogs if their fraud prevention efforts are found to be deficient.

Management

Secret Service funding fight sharpens over White House modernization push

House Republicans are backing a funding request tied to White House grounds upgrades while lawmakers demand more detail on how the agency would spend the money.

Oversight

VA security personnel aren’t detecting knives or booze, according to a watchdog report assessing medical facility security

The Government Accountability Office highlighted that there are staffing shortages among VA police, but department officials say they have taken steps to address the issue.

Pay & Benefits

Waiting to retire could be worth thousands of dollars

Before you rush out the door, consider how a few more years of service can permanently boost your FERS annuity and Social Security benefits.

Pay & Benefits

Future shutdowns could temporarily halt senators’ paychecks

The Senate approved a rules change on Thursday aimed at raising the political cost of funding lapses as Congress barrels toward another high-risk appropriations season.

Exclusive Workforce

'Going to be a s***show': Parks, Interior struggle to hire temporary staff ahead of busy season

The department fell well short of its goals last year and is failing to keep pace with even that level of hiring.

Management

A familiar name returns to lead ICE amid renewed political pressure

A longtime DHS official with prior ties to Obama-era immigration enforcement and private detention work is stepping back into a top role at a pivotal moment for the agency.

Workforce

‘Sermonizing’ Easter email prompts USDA employees to sue agency

In response to the lawsuit, the department said, “we will keep the plaintiffs in our prayers.”

Workforce

House GOP probes agency settlements with federal workers

Republican members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee argued agencies should settle less often with feds who allege prohibited personnel practices, but experts say the government acts similarly to private sector litigants.

Management

$1 billion Secret Service funding boost plan draws scrutiny over limited details

Lawmakers are seeking a clearer breakdown of how the funds would be used as debate continues over security upgrades, modernization projects and the scale of the request.

Defense

Hegseth rethinking Army reforms, cuts to aviation

One year after launching the Army Transformation Initiative, the Defense secretary says he's reviewing the to-do list.

Oversight

Watchdog recommends nearly 100 ways for agencies to save tens of billions

Agencies have implemented a majority of previous Government Accountability Office recommendations regarding duplicative federal programs, generating almost $775 billion in financial benefits.

Tech

‘It would be insane’ for spy agencies to not have AI model early access, lawmaker says

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said the Commerce Department should also have a role in AI policy.

Management

Trump taps former FEMA official ousted after defending agency

Cameron Hamilton, who was removed after publicly opposing efforts to eliminate FEMA, would return to lead the agency as the administration pushes states to take on a larger disaster response role.

Oversight

Federal discipline was never supposed to be punitive. The MSPB appeal framework reflects that

COMMENTARY | Forget what you think you know about federal employee discipline. The MSPB's penalty review is not focused on the severity of the misconduct. It's focused on one thing: can the employee be fixed?