Route Fifty
How the Infrastructure Proposal Would Fund Roads, Bridges and Public Transit
The proposal puts $150 billion in new funding toward surface transportation and transit, but won’t close the backlog in maintenance and capital costs.
Workforce
Many VA Employees Apprehensive About Vaccine Mandate as Department Begins Implementation
Some medical workers say they will quit or retire rather than comply with the new requirement.
Workforce
House Panel Advances Bill to Extend TSA Employees the Same Pay System and Workplace Protections as Other Feds
The Rights of the TSA Workforce Act would apply Title 5 protections and the General Schedule pay scale to employees at the Transportation Security Administration.
Nextgov
CISA Offers Vulnerability Disclosure Platform for Civilian Agencies
The platform will provide triage and administrative services while allowing CISA to monitor agencies’ progress resolving reports from security researchers.
Oversight
Agriculture IG Named Acting Watchdog of Federal Housing Finance Agency
The office has been under scrutiny by lawmakers and an IG committee.
Nextgov
NSA to National Security Employees: Avoid Working on Public Wi-Fi
The agency offered best practices for remote work using wireless technologies.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Pandemic IG Asks for Expansion of Jurisdiction Again; GAO Looks at Contracting and Federal Prisons During COVID
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Defense
Wildfires Are So Dangerous Now that the National Guard Prepares for Them Like Hurricanes
For West Coast units, there’s no wildfire season anymore. ‘It’s really a fire year now,’ top general says.
Defense
For US Troops, Getting COVID Vaccine Is Now a Matter of 'How and When'
President tells Pentagon to add COVID to list of required vaccinations. He also imposed requirements on federal employees and contractors who decline to get vaccinated.
Management
Immigration Prosecutors Were Told Not to Push for Deportation in Cases Like His. He Was Ordered Deported the Next Day.
Under a new Biden policy, more than 100,000 immigrants could have their cases dropped. But that discretion is left to individual prosecutors, and many are letting the deportation machine roll on.
Workforce
Discrimination against Mothers Mars Hiring
Workplaces still discriminate against mothers, a study finds. Another indicates that inflexibility about hours keeps moms out of jobs.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: Whistleblowing in the U.S.
The Government Accountability Project's Irvin McCullough joins the podcast to discuss National Whistleblower Day.
Employee Policy
Fed engineers support WH vaccination policy
The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), representing engineers and other professionals across the federal government, joined other fed organizations to endorse the recent White House policy change designed to encourage hesitant feds to get vaccinated.
Route Fifty
'This Is 21st Century Infrastructure'
The pandemic highlighted gaps with internet service. But governments are pursuing innovative solutions—and there’s new federal money available for upgrading networks.
Workforce
Biden Announces Vaccine-or-Masks Mandate for Feds, Some Contractors
Federal employees will have a choice: get vaccinated, or wear masks when indoors at federal facilities and subject themselves to regular COVID-19 testing.
Management
Biden: Onsite Contractors Must Attest to Vaccine Status or Be Subject to Restrictions
The White House rolled out a slew of initiatives to boost vaccinations in the United States.
Pay & Benefits
How Matching Pays Off in the TSP
A guaranteed way to increase your Thrift Savings Plan balance.
Nextgov
Wanted: Accountability for Addressing the Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Challenge
Even when some agencies succeed at bringing talent in, they aren’t able to hold on to it for long.
Management
House Passes Spending Bills With Big Boosts for Agencies, But Major Roadblocks Remain to Avoid October Shutdown
Senate will need bipartisan spending measures but is far behind the House's timeline.
Workforce