Management
Civil Rights commission digs into government use of facial recognition
The tech poses “serious threats to our fundamental rights,” the chair of the commission said during a Friday briefing.
Pay & Benefits
Veterans Affairs expands IVF access to unmarried and same-sex veterans
Up to now, the VA has only provided IVF care for married veterans who were able to use their own eggs or sperm during the process, but the new announcement allows veterans to use donor eggs, sperm and embryos.
Tech
CISA targeted through Ivanti VPN vulnerabilities, reports say
The DHS agency has been issuing warnings about Ivanti products since at least 2020.
Tech
Biden's $1.67 trillion budget boosts tech, AI
The Biden administration’s FY2025 budget request provides agencies with $3 billion “to responsibly develop, test, procure and integrate transformative AI applications across the federal government.”
Management
The 9 most significant agency and program reforms in Biden's budget
See how the president is prioritizing his proposed budget increases at nearly every agency in government.
Updated
Management
Biden’s FY25 budget tops $7.3 trillion with increases for defense, agriculture
The president’s budget request emphasized ongoing climate-based initiatives but leaned into gains for the Agriculture, Defense, Education, Energy and other departments.
Updated
Pay & Benefits
Biden proposes 2% raise for feds in 2025 budget
Following multiple years of multi-decade record pay increases, the White House cited “fiscal constraints” facing agencies to justify smaller raises next year.
Management
A new federal office to gameplan for future crises?
A cadre of federal and industry officials are on a mission to scale the practice of strategic foresight across the federal government to help improve agency response to future challenges.
Management
Congress averts shutdown, locks in some agency cuts as Senate backs funding package
Lawmakers now face a March 22 shutdown deadline for the rest of government.
Oversight
OPM slices record retirement processing time in February
The overall retirement backlog ticked back under 20,000 last month, amid the federal government’s HR agency’s busy season.
Oversight
Bill enhancing contractor whistleblower protections advances to the Senate
The bipartisan proposal would close loopholes that have left federal contractors vulnerable to retaliation.
Oversight
Lawmakers try to reform federal cybersecurity again
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee passed a FISMA modernization proposal on to the full floor on Thursday.
Oversight
VIP health system for top U.S. officials risked jeopardizing care for soldiers
Some facilities “provided access to care for executive medicine patients over active-duty military patients that had acute needs,” according to the Pentagon’s inspector general.
Management
New bill aims to bring SNAP card security up to credit card standards
Security standards for SNAP cards have not kept pace with industry advancements, lawmakers say.
Management
Biden uses State of the Union to paint Republicans as barriers
The president scolded former President Trump and House GOP lawmakers for scuttling a bipartisan plan to boost border agency staffing, and frequently touted governmental investments enacted without Republican support.
Management
Biden administration explores using Tesla-style tech in federally funded EV chargers
Most automakers have announced plans to use the industry leader’s standards, which would give them access to Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Pay & Benefits
Saving for retirement
Retirement planning is a lifelong learning affair and begins with the first day on the job.
Management
Key federal workforce agencies get confirmed leaders
Biden finally has confirmed heads at the primary civil service enforcement agencies.
Tech
Government facilities were third largest ransomware target in 2023, FBI says
The FBI’s IC3 findings also show government official impersonation scams are on the rise.
Management