Pay & Benefits
A House funding bill would make recent federal firefighter pay raises permanent
The House Appropriations Committee is set to advance a spending package Tuesday that would codify recent temporary pay raises for federal wildland firefighters into law and fund them to the tune of $330 million.
Management
Diverting TSA funds harms deployment of new tech, lawmakers warn
A bill to keep all 9/11 security fee collections at TSA would help the agency more quickly deploy facial recognition capabilities, but its supporters say privacy still needs to be prioritized.
Workforce
Project 2025: The worst-case scenario for veterans
COMMENTARY | "By dismantling key agencies and slashing federal jobs, Project 2025 risks undermining not only government efficiency but also the livelihoods of tens of thousands of veterans," writes one veteran.
Workforce
The asylum backlog could double by the end of the decade without a DHS staffing surge
USCIS is failing to meet its legal obligations due to its shrinking workforce and growing responsibilities, IG says.
Pay & Benefits
OPM’s backlog of pending retirement claims ticked back up in June
The federal government’s dedicated HR agency processed around 1,300 fewer claims than it received last month, bringing its retirement backlog back above 15,000.
Tech
The US intelligence community is embracing generative AI
Intelligence agencies are using generative AI for a variety of purposes, including content triage and assisting analysts.
Management
A US agency focused on foreign disinformation could shut down after the election
The State Department’s Global Engagement Center recently opened an anti-Russian propaganda center in Poland, but needs congressional action to continue operations.
Oversight
PEER sues to force OPM to implement administrative leave reforms
Though Congress enacted a law aimed at ending agencies’ abuse of involuntary administrative leave, the federal government’s dedicated HR agency has yet to implement its key provisions.
Oversight
Detention facilities under U.S. Marshals Service lack proper oversight
GAO found that nearly half of the deputies who reviewed certain detention facilities in fiscal 2023 had not been trained.
News
Even short trips to space can change an astronaut’s biology
A new set of studies offers the most comprehensive look at spaceflight health since NASA’s Twins Study.
Management
USPS regulator says DeJoy should pause all network reform efforts
The Postal Service has remained defiant that its plan is the only viable path forward.
Defense
A crucial step towards justice for veterans
COMMENTARY | A new bill would provide retroactive payment of benefits for veterans with covered mental health conditions stemming from military sexual trauma, an insidious issue affecting countless service members.
Management
Supreme Court rejects bid to gut federal agency
The order marked a rare victory for the federal government's regulatory powers in recent days.
Management
Biden administration announces new rule to protect workers from heat-related illnesses
A new White House rule would require employers to monitor workers’ heat exposure, provide cool-down areas and take other steps for personnel in 35 million heat-related jobs.
Pay & Benefits
TSP funds posted a mixed bag in June
Only three of the five core investment offerings of the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program ended the month in the black.
Tech
Lawmakers want VA to report on its use of automation to process benefits claims
The legislative proposal seeks to enhance VA’s adoption of new technologies, including providing lawmakers with “a timeline for modifying and implementing the use of such automation tools” in the benefits claims process.
Management
Will recent Supreme Court rulings 'devastate the functioning of the federal government?'
Attorneys and agency officials warn of chaos and restricted agency power after high court constrains executive branch power.
Oversight
Supreme Court blocks an EPA plan to curb ozone air pollution
Environmental advocates worry that future challenges to federal policies could similarly “short-circuit the normal process of judicial review” by appealing directly to the Supreme Court.
Oversight
IRS services for underserved taxpayers are good but can be better, report says
While the IRS has focused on improving customer service for underserved taxpayers, TIGTA noted that the tax agency doesn’t currently have a definition for such taxpayers.
News