Route Fifty

Acting FEMA Chief Spotlights Agency’s Priorities for State and Local Emergency Managers

President Trump “wants to make sure FEMA is responsive ... and make sure that we’re there for you.”

Management

Advice to Feds: It’s Time to Update Your Resumes

While there’s a lot of uncertainty, one thing’s for sure—the Trump Administration wants to reduce the number of federal employees.

Management

The White House Dismisses Reports of Possible Russian Collusion

Press Secretary Sean Spicer pushed back against CNN’s claim that the FBI has information suggesting Trump associates and Russia may have worked together to undermine Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

Oversight

Play of the Day: Donald Trump is President and You're Not

The president ends a newly published interview with an unimpeachable fact.

Management

Lawmakers, Officials Agree Being Alive Shouldn’t Be Sole Factor for Defense Promotions

Senators pledge bipartisan legislation reforming the civilian personnel system.

Management

Architects Have Been Gearing Up To Build Trump’s Border Wall For Years

Creating a single "impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful southern border wall" is probably impossible.

Nextgov

This is the Job-Killer the Trump Team Should Worry About, Obama Adviser Says

Nextgov chatted with Terah Lyons, formerly an adviser to the federal chief technology officer.

Defense

Would Better Messaging Help the Military Boost Its Budget?

Even if Pentagon leaders clarified their ‘readiness’ warnings, they’d still face an uphill battle for more funding in 2017.

Management

Postal Service Asks Its Regulator to Stop Regulating Its Prices

Detractors say third-party must shield consumers from government-protected monopoly.

Nextgov

GAO: Optimize Data Centers or Lose Them

Progress on closing data centers is mixed and the government’s optimization efforts are worse.

Management

GSA Finds No Fault With Trump's Washington Luxury Hotel Lease

Conflict of interest charges for Old Post Office are "simplistic," contracting officer concludes.

Defense

Pentagon Defends Quiet Response to Study Offering $125 Billion In Savings

House hearing shows miscommunication between the Defense Department and the Defense Business Board.

Management

The State Department Has No Time For Many International Institutions

The Trump administration's disregard for international organizations insulting to other countries—and could come back to bite it.

Tech

Why Women Weren't Allowed to Be Astronauts

Critics had plenty of reasons for wanting to disqualify women from spaceflight in its early stages—but none of them stuck.

Oversight

Play of the Day: Paul Manafort's Russian Ties and Donald Trump

The accusations about the president's former campaign manager intensified this week.

Management

Please Back Away From the Partisan Brink

The politics of deep division are making it very difficult for government to do its job.

Route Fifty

Moody’s: Any Big Infrastructure Spending Ramp-Up Likely to Be Slow

Among the constraints the ratings agency noted in a report issued Tuesday: “There is no bipartisan agreement on how to fund such investment.”