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
White House Plans Advance Disclosure of Its Own Appointees' Financial Forms
New portal will allow public access to Office of Government Ethics forms.
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.”
Pay & Benefits
Budget Cuts, a Retirement Scam, the Latest on the 2018 Pay Raise, and More
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Nextgov
Revamp DHS Cyber Authorities, Former Officials Urge Congress
Ex-NSA Director Keith Alexander also suggested reducing the number of DHS political appointees during a Wednesday hearing.
Management
Ex-OMB Controller Praises Trump’s Agency Reorganization Plan
Mader likes "whole of government" view and 12-month lead time.
Defense
What One Joint Chief Of Staff Thinks of Trump
Do the generals have too much influence? I asked the U.S. Air Force’s top military leader.
Management
Inbox Zero is a Waste of Time. This is How a World-class Behavioral Economist Tames His Email
Dan Ariely created an automatic reply email with FAQs that try to anticipate most of the requests he receives.
Route Fifty
Florida Lawmakers Consider ‘Whiskey and Wheaties’ Proposal
Also in our State and Local Daily Digest: Budget showdown in West Virginia; Trump budget may gut Oregon’s state environmental programs; and cyberattack in Maine and Arkansas.
Management
Memo to OMB: Speed Kills
Setting aside the debate over what should be funded (or not), much could be achieved if the administration took a longer view.
Nextgov
Can Trump Make Veterans' Health Care Great Again?
Trump has "a chance to lead, not just in the VA but in the country, in bringing the internet to health care,” former federal CTO Aneesh Chopra says.
Management