Pay & Benefits
Retirement Backlog Drops, But It’s Still Higher Than Expected
There are nearly 3,000 more claims in the queue than the agency hoped to have at the end of June.
Tech
Timeline: Government Data Breaches
Since April 2013, six hacks targeted OPM and its contractors.
News
Happy Belated Independence from Government Day
A curious reinterpretation of the Declaration of Independence from a would-be GOP presidential contender.
Route Fifty
Transportation Trumps 'No Taxes' in Many States
“No new taxes?” Many governors broke that pledge to pay for critical transportation needs.
Oversight
The Must-Pass Highway Bill Dominates Jammed July
Congress has a packed three-week schedule before the next recess starts—and road funding expires.
Management
Asking for Forgiveness, Not Permission
Rewarding good judgment creates a happier, more agile workforce.
Route Fifty
Dallas Mayor Tells City Council to Stop Shouting; Boston’s VIP Parking Placards
Also: Bats vs. Iowa wind turbines and North Carolina GOP vs. Greensboro
Pay & Benefits
The Navy is Tripling Its Paid Maternity Leave
The service is going to grant the most generous maternity leave policy of any of the armed forces.
Management
Clinton: China Hacks Into 'Everything That Doesn’t Move'
The former secretary of state has some decidedly undiplomatic words for Beijing.
Nextgov
Hackers Spy on Federal Investigator, Get Into Harvard Illegally and Email Themselves School Secrets
Just another week in ThreatWatch, our regularly updated index of noteworthy data breaches.
Route Fifty
Why We’re Having the Wrong Conversation About Open Data
Publishing government data can be great for citizens and innovative companies. But government operations can also benefit from open data’s revolutionary power.
Nextgov
Pentagon Contractors Rank Below Retailers and Banks When it Comes to Cybersecurity
Pentagon suppliers score below hacked retailers and banks on cyber defense, according to industry-developed metrics.
Route Fifty
Science and Research Provide New Tools to Fight Wildfires
"Our goal is to try to integrate new technologies into a profession that’s really steeped in tradition," says the director of the recently launched Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting.
Oversight
Play of the Day: Trump's Comments Have Not Gone Over Well
Late-night hosts break down the meaning around "somebody's doing the raping."
Management
The White House’s Big Crackdown on For-profit College Debt Takes Effect
They'll need to prove that students will be able to make enough money to pay back all those loans.
Management
OPM Says More Hack Details Coming, But Notification of Affected Feds Could Lag
OPM is striving for accuracy in counting feds affected in second hack.
Management
Four Ways Your Spouse Can Screw Up Your Security Clearance
If you can’t trust your partner, the government can’t trust you.
Nextgov
Q&A: Why Congress is Jumping on the Open Source Bandwagon
Ben Balter, chief executive for code repository site Github, talked with Nextgov about last week's announcement.
Pay & Benefits
A Rude Annuity Shock
When a survivor benefit turns out to be much smaller than expected.
Defense