Management
The Postal Service Lost Money on Its Facility Closures Last Year
Financial news comes at tough time as USPS gears up for force price reduction.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama on the Hardwood
Who's better at basketball? The president or the Vermont socialist?
Defense
Why Fertility Treatments Aren’t Covered for Veterans
The government will help active-duty soldiers with the cost of IVF, but vets don’t have the same benefit—even when combat injuries make it impossible to have kids otherwise.
Management
VA Tries to Punish Senior Leaders in Cincinnati for Misconduct
Department proposed firing Jack Hetrick, but he retired; Dr. Barbara Temeck has been reassigned pending further discipline.
Tech
FBI Head: Apple is Taking Us To a ‘Different World’
Officials say Apple is creating a situation where FBI can’t do its job. Apple says the FBI is seeking "dangerous power." Who’s right?
Management
How You Can Use Social Media Analytics to Advance Your Mission
But know the limitations as well.
Route Fifty
Forget Downtown. Smart City Districts Are the New Social and Economic Hubs
A new White House report urges the creation of financing mechanisms to create more development areas geared toward innovation.
Nextgov
Contractors Annoyed After DHS Scraps $675M Cyber Contract
The group said each team of contenders had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing proposals
Oversight
Lawmakers Worry New Security Clearance Entity Will Be 'Another Disaster'
Cynics say the new system won't correct fundamental flaws in the system.
Defense
Whistleblower Persuades Navy to Correct Risky Jet Fuel Waste
Office of Special Counsel brought to light discarding of 12,000 gallons a year.
Pay & Benefits
The New Rules of the Social Security Game
What happens after the elimination of the traditional “file and suspend” strategy?
Management
Use Data, Not Assumptions, to Improve the Customer Experience
Agencies misunderstand their customers when datasets are not integrated or widely shared.
News
VA Does Not Stand For 'Veterans Administration'
At any given moment, a 2016 presidential contender somewhere is screwing up the name of the Veterans Affairs Department.
Route Fifty
Route Fifty’s Complete Coverage of NGA Winter Meetings, NACo Legislative Conference
The nation’s governors and county leaders recently gathered in the nation’s capital to discuss their policy priorities, mutual challenges and ideas to improve their governments. Here’s a comprehensive roundup of our dispatches from Washington, D.C.
Oversight
Senator Makes Good on Vow to Block OPM Nominee
Vitter pens new letter to the personnel agency demanding Obamacare documents; House oversight leaders support her nomination.
Nextgov
Jeh Johnson Makes ‘Hard Choices’ in Cyber Budget
In a series of budget hearings, Johnson defended the department’s $40.6 billion budget request for the upcoming fiscal year.
Nextgov
‘Reprehensible’ Homeland Security IT System 'Pissed Away' $180 Million, Says One Lawmaker
The system's failings could make it more difficult for DHS to remove poor performers, “if that ever happens at all," said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa.
Oversight
Will Conservatives Mount a Third-Party Challenge If Trump Is the Nominee?
Doing so would hobble the billionaire’s ability to take the White House—making it the most potent piece of leverage left to conservatives.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Donald Trump Loves Poorly Educated Voters... And Maybe Pirates
What on earth was the GOP frontrunner saying in his speech Tuesday?
Oversight