Defense
Purity Tested, Senators Confirm General Austin for Secretary of Defense
With little actual opposition in the end, members voted for the waiver and the man.
Workforce
Segregation Policies in Federal Government in Early 20th Century Harmed Black Americans for Decades
President Wilson sanctioned segregation policies more than a century ago by targeting Black civil service workers.
Tech
GovExec Daily: Joe Biden's IT Priorities in the White House
Former federal CIO Vivek Kundra joins the podcast to discuss the information technology and cloud computing challenges the new president will face.
Defense
U.S. Could Face a Simmering, Chronic Domestic Terror Problem, Warn Security Experts
Far-right extremists in the US have the potential to mount a coordinated, low-intensity campaign of political violence. It wouldn't be the country's first experience with domestic terror.
Route Fifty
Mayors Press Biden's Transportation Nominee on Direct Funding for Cities
"You've actually helped lobby on this very issue before," Austin's mayor reminded Pete Buttigieg, himself a former mayor.
Tech
5 Ways Biden Can Help Rural America Thrive and Bridge the Rural-Urban Divide
A new federal antipoverty program for both rural and urban areas is part of the solution, but the power of Big Ag, lack of internet and struggling towns need attention, too.
Route Fifty
Surgeon General Nominee: Time to Rebuild Local Health Departments
"We cannot afford to be caught in the same position we are in now, with an infrastructure that is fragmented, with data systems that don't talk to each other, with personnel that are overtaxed."
Management
To Beat the Pandemic, Biden Needs to Take the Politics Out of It
The vast majority of recent survey respondents said “Politics has made it harder to learn the truth about COVID-19.”
Management
Biden Aims for Federal Contractors to Pay a $15 Minimum Wage
He directed his administration to work on an executive order within his first 100 days.
Nextgov
The Hack Roundup: Biden Orders Intel Assessment of Suspected Russian Malfeasance
Here are the news and updates you may have missed.
Pay & Benefits
Biden Records Message for Career Feds as He Calls for Boosting Their Minimum Wage
"You're the ones running the show," Biden tells civil servants.
Management
Biden Directs OSHA to Bolster Actions to Combat Pandemic
He also asked the agency to consider issuing emergency temporary standards.
Management
Biden Signs Executive Order Killing Schedule F, Restoring Collective Bargaining Rights
The president also named Federal Labor Relations Authority Member Ernest DuBester to serve as the agency’s chairman.
Management
Empowering Frontline Federal Workers
Change will require committed leadership. It’s a problem at all levels and in all functions.
Oversight
Will Merrick Garland, Joe Biden’s Pick for Attorney General, Be Independent in that Role? History Says It’s Unlikely
History shows that attorneys general who are picked by – and serve at the pleasure of – the president are not as independent as they may be expected to be.
Workforce
Why You Should Turn off Your Camera During Zoom Meetings
It's not just to hide clutter anymore—leaving your camera off during your next virtual meeting could help save the planet, too.
Management
GovExec Daily: How Will Alejandro Mayorkas Lead DHS?
Eric Katz joins the podcast to discuss President Joe Biden's pick for the Homeland Security Department.
Route Fifty
Liaisons to Each State, Full National Guard Reimbursement Are Part of Biden's Virus Response Plan
On his second day in office, President Joe Biden outlined a wide-ranging coronavirus response strategy, shifting toward a more national approach than the Trump administration's.
Route Fifty
Buttigieg Emphasizes He’ll Bring Local Perspective to Top Transportation Job
Transportation secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg, a former mayor, received a favorable hearing before the Senate committee considering his nomination.
Management