Nextgov

NSA Cyber Chief Warns Hackers Increasingly Use Commercial Tools to Stay Hidden 

Advanced persistent threat actors are becoming harder to spot and making attribution more difficult.

Management

Survey: Americans Have Low Trust in the Federal Government, But Believe It Has Potential To Help With Health Care and Technology

“Most believe the government’s role in improving lives will stay the same or increase over the next 10 years,” the results found. 

Nextgov

Federal Employee Group Urges Congress to Avoid a Government Shutdown

Lawmakers have a little time left to pass a continuing resolution.

Pay & Benefits

Feds Will Pay 3.8% More Toward Health Care Premiums Next Year

Cost growth stems largely from specialty drugs, treatments for chronic illnesses and the COVID-19 pandemic, insurers said, although federal workers will be impacted less than employees of other large organizations.

Defense

Austin, Milley Say White House Was Advised to Keep US Troops in Afghanistan

The Afghanistan evacuation that resulted was “a logistical success but a strategic failure,” Milley said.

Defense

COVID-19 Outbreak Hits Marine Corps Officer Candidates School

Group is first to do pre-training quarantine at home instead of at school.

Oversight

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Buddies Tried to Get the VA to Sell Access to Veterans’ Medical Records

A congressional investigation prompted by ProPublica’s reporting found Trump’s “Mar-a-Lago crowd,” wealthy civilians with no U.S. government or military experience, pursued a plan to monetize veterans’ medical data.

Defense

GovExec Daily: Innovation, the Commercial Sector and the Pentagon

Defense One's Bradley Peniston discusses Defense modernization with Art Trevethan, Director of Corporate Ventures at the Army Applications Lab.

Nextgov

Congress Gets First Look At Upcoming TMF Awards

The federal CIO offered a few details of the project proposals received and upcoming award announcements.

Pay & Benefits

Biden Administration Appears to Take a Furlough Approach Similar to Trump's as Shutdown Nears

The White House has yet to say if it will employ the same drastic tactics to keep some agencies fully operational during a funding lapse.

Workforce

TSA, Merit Board Reach Deal to Provide Appeal Rights to Airport Screeners

As the Biden administration moves to provide full civil service protections to the TSA workforce, lawmakers say Congress must codify screeners’ rights.

Workforce

Coronavirus Roundup: VA Offers Booster Shots; Biden Receives His Booster 

There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.

Management

Tax-Wise Savings and Distribution Strategies for Feds

With the national debt roaring towards $29 trillion dollars, it would be prudent to plan for higher future tax rates.

Nextgov

Audit: IRS Needs to Improve How It Wipes Taxpayer Data  from Devices

Computer and laptop hard drives that aren’t properly scrubbed could allow exposure of private taxpayer data.

Management

A Daily Pill to Treat Covid Could Be Just Months Away, Scientists Say

At least three promising antiviral treatments for COVID-19 are being tested in clinical trials, with results expected as soon as late fall or winter.

Management

GovExec Daily: Analyzing Immigration Statistics

Dr. Austin Kocher joins the podcast to discuss trends in immigration enforcement data.

Management

Shutdown in Sight as Senate Rejects Stopgap Spending Measure

Republicans block short-term funding bill that would have also paused the debt ceiling.