Management
USPS Regulator Approves Price Spike but Warns Mail Slowdowns Could Have Worse-Than-Expected Impact
Commission criticizes postal management for faulty assumptions, insufficient testing and disregard for customers.
Route Fifty
This Week in Federal Funding
In the July 20 edition we check in with the state and local lead for the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, a federal watchdog overseeing ARPA programs. Also: the outlook for broadband spending and updates from Massachusetts and Maine.
Pay & Benefits
House Panel Advances Bill Providing Feds Paid Family Leave
Republicans question the methodology of a last-minute preliminary study by the Congressional Budget Office, despite the fact that CBO does not do full reports until bills are sent to the House floor.
Route Fifty
Infrastructure Proposal Faces Key Vote Wednesday
Sen. Chuck Schumer scheduled a procedural vote on the bipartisan infrastructure framework even as lawmakers scurry to finish a draft of the legislation.
Defense
First Wave of Afghan Interpreters Head to Fort Lee
Arriving families will stay for the moment in barracks or other housing; the State Department will pick up their food and medical costs.
Management
GovExec Daily: The 'Pandemic of the Unvaccinated'
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to discuss vaccination rates and other COVID-19 stories.
Route Fifty
The Many Flavors of 'Transformative' State and Local ARPA Spending
Transformative government projects using American Rescue Plan Act funds can run the gamut from improving a local park, to spending tens of millions to alleviate homelessness.
Route Fifty
Expansion of Remote Work Increases Competition Between Public, Private Sector
Workforce experts say government employers should look for ways to embrace a flexible working environment even after the pandemic in order to compete.
Management
Deadline Comes for Agencies to Submit Their Reentry Plans
These plans, which will not be made public, will vary by agency.
Oversight
GAO: Coast Guard Can Do More to Monitor Telework Use
Early in the pandemic, the service suffered from inadequate bandwidth and a laptop shortage, although those issues were alleviated by summer 2020.
Oversight
Watchdog: HHS Should Update Congress on COVID-19 Spending Time Frames
GAO offers 15 new recommendations for improving the federal government’s pandemic response.
Workforce
IRS Funding Surge Punted From Bipartisan Infrastructure Package
Democrats still plan to fund major hiring boost for the tax agency in another measure.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Smithsonian and National Archives Advance Reopenings; Court Sides with CDC on Cruises
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Defense
Republicans Try New Bill to Repay National Guard for Post-Riot Protection, Minus a Rapid Response Force
No House GOPers voted for a May bill that would have reimbursed the Guard more than a half billion dollars.
Oversight
New COVID-19 Vaccine Warnings Don’t Mean It’s Unsafe – They Mean the System to Report Side Effects Is Working
Ongoing tracking is meant to spot very rare risks – like the connection between the Johnson & Johnson shot and Guillain-Barré syndrome. And it relies on public reporting.
Workforce
63% of Workers Who File an EEOC Discrimination Complaint Lose Their Jobs
Workers who filed complaints faced retaliation and rarely got a favorable result from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: The Complications of Raising the Minimum Contractor Wage
GovExec contributor Stan Soloway joins the podcast discuss the the Biden Executive Order.
Management
DOJ Will Not Prosecute Trump Officials After IG Referred Findings of False Testimony on Census
Investigators verified that former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross misled Congress, but the Justice Department said it won't pursue prosecution.
Nextgov
NIST Outlines Security Measures for Software Use and Testing Under Executive Order
Eyes now turn to the Office of Management and Budget to issue requirements for federal agencies and contractors based on NIST’s work.
Oversight