Management
When Employees Screw Up, Don’t Screw Up Your Response
A healthy organization allows people to own up to their mistakes.
Management
Trump and Mar-a-Lago Have a Long and Questionable History With Hurricanes
After Wilma in 2005, Trump received $17 million in insurance payments. Oddly, others don't seem to recall much damage.
Oversight
Senate Attaches Shutdown-Avoiding Measure to Harvey Relief Bill
Package would keep agencies open through early December and also temporarily increase the debt limit.
Nextgov
Nations That Hack the U.S. Could Face ‘Real World’ Consequences, Homeland Security Adviser Warned
The administration wants to punish hackers in a way that "modifies behavior," Tom Bossert said.
Route Fifty
Governors Back Bipartisan Senate Plan to Stabilize Health Markets
Three Republicans and two Democrats teamed up to urge the Senate to act quickly.
Nextgov
Watchdog: Agencies Aren’t Even Trying To Meet Data Center Optimization Goals
At most, five agencies have met or exceeded White House targets for making data centers more efficient.
Route Fifty
Bill Preventing States From Banning Self-Driving Cars Moves Forward
STATE AND LOCAL NEWS ROUNDUP | Removal of Dallas Confederate monument halted last minute; 15 states and D.C. sue to save DACA; energy company wants to drill under Denver school
Defense
Get Ready for a Short-Term CR, Congressional Leaders Tell Pentagon
Top House Republicans on defense say it’s not ideal — underfunding has contributed to a rash of recent accidents — but don’t expect a full-year appropriation until December.
Management
Commission on Evidence-Based Policy Calls for Interagency Coordination
Report recommends a National Secure Data Service that would help with specific projects without compromising privacy.
Oversight
NASA's Next Head Wants it to Do Less Climate Science and More Weather Science, But You Can’t Separate Them
Jim Bridenstine would be in charge of an agency critical to both climate science and storm tracking. He's much fonder of the latter.
Oversight
Play of the Day: A Hurricane Deal Keeps the Government Open
Donald Trump agreed to a plan with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown later this month… thanks to Hurricane Harvey.
Management
Here’s What the U.S. Could Sell South Korea and Japan to Counter North Korea
Trump doubles the allowable size of Seoul’s warheads and promises to transfer more sophisticated weapons to Asian allies.
Route Fifty
U.S. DOT Opens Latest Round of TIGER Grant Funding. Will It Be the Last?
President Trump has proposed axing funding for the transportation program. There’s disagreement between the House and Senate on whether to go along with that plan.
Management
Leadership Vacancies Have Slowed Security Clearance Reform, Officials Say
To cope with delays, the Pentagon issues risky interim clearances, resulting in “rapists and pedophiles” having access to classified information.
Nextgov
Virtual Assistants Don’t Always Understand You. That’s a Problem.
The Homeland Security Department’s chatbot “Emma” sometimes struggles to process some Spanish language requests because not everyone says green card the same way.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Treads Water on Retirement Backlog, Harvey Response Continues, and More
A weekly round-up of pay and benefits news.
Oversight
Analysis: Trump's Buck-Passing on Immigration
The president’s decision to try to shift responsibility for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to Congress could turn out to be one of his politically shrewder moves.
Management
Trump's Makeover of the Federal Reserve Will Start Sooner Than Expected
Stanley Fischer's unexpected resignation means five of seven seats on the Fed's powerful Board of Governors will be open for Trump's nominees.
Route Fifty