Management

For Pentagon, Biden Picks Two Obama-era Policy Veterans to Help Austin

After passing on Flournoy, Biden taps Kathleen Hicks and Colin Kahl to be Austin's deputy defense secretary and undersecretary for policy.

Nextgov

How Supercomputing and Advanced X-Rays Helped the Government Fight COVID-19

Years of basic research and speedy, strategic coordination helped to catalyze new and needed treatments.

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Researchers Examining Covid Vaccine Barriers, Skepticism in Five Communities

Johns Hopkins Center for Health is overseeing the project, which researchers hope can help state and local governments address challenges in distributing the coronavirus vaccine to the general public.

Management

6 Lessons From 2020 Federal Leaders Should Apply in the Months to Come

As the embers of the dumpster fire that was 2020 burn away, important lessons provide light for the way forward in 2021.

Management

Biden Is on Track to Have a Record Number of Women in His Cabinet

Joe Biden has committed to having the most diverse Cabinet in history. It’s likely future presidents will be expected to match or increase representation.

Management

Where Year Two of the Pandemic Will Take Us

As vaccines roll out, the U.S. will face a choice about what to learn and what to forget.

Route Fifty

Survey: Residents Prefer Multiple Ways to Access Local Government Services

But the specific type of access that residents prefer—in-person visits, phone calls, or digital—depends on where they live and how old they are.

Management

Bringing Transparency to Administrative Law Judge Dockets

The deputy secretary of Labor explains how the department is using data to improve operations and allocate resources.

Management

America Needs a Strategic Plan

A divided, directionless nation yearns for its next moonshot.

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A Decrease in Student Transfers Could Have Lasting Effects on Education Mobility

Transfers by college students decreased by 8%, with disproportionate impacts to minorities and community-college students, according to research from the National Student Clearinghouse.

Management

Federal Government Crackdown to Cause Major Disruptions for International Shipping in 2021

Few countries are in compliance with an opioids-related mandate set to take effect Jan. 1 as lawmakers criticize Trump administration for "falling down on the job."

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Heading Into 2021, State and Local Budget Gloom Lingers

Revenues are better than initially expected in some states. But they’re still down in many places as the cost of the pandemic response adds up.

Management

The World That COVID Made: What Should American Foreign Policy Do?

The pandemic reminds us that "American leadership" is not a trite euphemism. It is arguably the single most important factor in whether the arc of history bends toward something better or something worse.

Management

Rebuilding Government as a Purpose-Driven Organization

An agency’s purpose should be the foundation for workforce management.

Management

Biden Administration Likely To Increase Contracting Opportunities for Small and Minority-Owned Businesses 

The campaign outlined a $400 billion plan “to support small businesses and tackle inequities in the federal contracting system.” 

Oversight

The Trump Administration’s Final Push to Make It Easier for Religious Employers to Discriminate

Last-minute policies on religious freedom clear the way for employers to hire on the basis of faith. Some of the changes won't be easy for Biden to undo.

Nextgov

The Federal CX Moves that Mattered in 2020

Experts expect momentum in improving service delivery and customer experience to continue under the coming Biden administration.

Defense

House Votes to Override Trump’s NDAA Veto

The Senate will likely vote Tuesday, potentially overriding Trump’s veto for the first time in his presidency.

Management

Biden Blasts OMB and Defense Officials for Obstructing Transition

“It’s nothing short of irresponsible,” the president-elect said on Monday.

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The Big Lesson of 2020

COMMENTARY | 2020 should teach all of us that we can no longer ignore our biggest challenges.