Route Fifty
‘You're Not Going to See a Gas Tax Increase. It's Just Not Gonna Happen.’
House lawmakers mull road and transit issues as they wait for the Trump administration’s infrastructure plan.
Route Fifty
Trump Declared an Opioid 'National Emergency' 2 Months Ago, But Where's the Formal Declaration?
According to data from the president’s special commission, as many as 5,500 people may have died from opioids in the interim.
Nextgov
House Passes FITARA Enhancement Act
The bill, which passed 418 to 0, would get rid of some of the sunsetting provisions of the original FITARA.
Pay & Benefits
House Approves TSP Modernization Bill
First update to retirement savings program in 30 years would provide more withdrawal flexibility for participants.
Oversight
Trump Transition Declined Some Ethics Advice, Rejected Some GAO Interviews
Watchdog report to Democratic lawmakers finds no misspent funds.
Pay & Benefits
House Approves Bill to Give Cost-Saving Feds $20,000 Bonuses
Measure would double current awards and give agency heads the authority to dole them out.
Nextgov
Trump to Pick Kelly Deputy for Top Homeland Security Post
Kirstjen Nielsen, a cybersecurity expert, was formerly DHS chief of staff.
Nextgov
U.S. Government’s Hurricane-Hunting Satellite Scheduled to Launch Next Month
NOAA's sending a high-powered replacement into space to boost its weather forecasting capabilities.
Management
New Storms Set Back Relief Efforts on Puerto Rico
Fresh rain fell on saturated soil Wednesday, elevating the threat of landslides and slowing efforts to distribute relief.
Pay & Benefits
A Small Dent in the Retirement Backlog, Tips for Feds to Prevent Opioid Abuse, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Oversight
Government's Ethics Watchdog Warns Trump Team to Improve Behavior
OGE director says he is "deeply concerned" about the messages agency leaders are sending to employees.
Management
Zinke, Mnuchin Travels Raise Still More Questions
Interior chief draws Hatch Act concerns while Treasury watchdog revisits Treasury chief’s flights.
Management
'People Who Boast About Their IQ Are Losers'
Studies say that bragging about your superiority makes people like you less—so what does Donald Trump hope to gain?
Defense
Are Trump's Feuds With Tillerson and Corker a Prelude to War?
While it’s tempting to view the spats as just more palace intrigue, they reveal a president impatient with diplomacy and drawn toward military force.
Defense
The U.S. Air War in Afghanistan Is Nearing Surge-Era Intensity
The latest figures from Air Force Central Command show that more bombs are being dropped than have been in nearly seven years.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Trump and Tillerson Compare IQ Tests
The president jokingly suggested that the State Department chief and he could measure their intelligence quotients.
Route Fifty
House Proposal Would Drastically Overhaul National Monument Guidelines
Critics are saying the legislation is a "radical attempt to undermine the Antiquities Act, which is really one of our nation’s most important conservation tools."
Defense
Should Uncle Sam ‘Send in the Marines’ After Hurricanes?
The military can make a big difference right away but humanitarian deployments should generally be rare and brief.
Nextgov
Defense Contractors Could Face Pay-Back Clause for Losing Bid Protests
Incumbent contractors that lose a bid protest may end up footing the bill for the government's costs.
Nextgov