Oversight
Records Show Trump’s Border Wall Is Costing Taxpayers Billions More Than Initial Contracts
As the presidential election nears, a review of federal spending data found modifications to contracts have increased the price of the border wall by billions, costing about five times more per mile than it did under previous administrations.
Defense
Raytheon Sheds People, Offices, Divisions as Pandemic Crushes Commercial Sector
The company’s defense business is one bright light.
Workforce
GovExec Daily: The Problem with the Diversity Training Executive Order
Stan Soloway joins the podcast to discuss how the order conflicts with the government's role in promoting civil rights and inclusion.
Route Fifty
Judge Strikes Down Michigan Ban on Open Carrying Guns at Polls
STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | New report warns of increased militia activity … A Nevada county and airport fined by state for President Trump’s rally violating Covid rules … Pandemic negotiations falter before election.
Route Fifty
These State Legislative Chambers Are Most Likely to Flip Blue
Democrats could take control in a handful of states, including North Carolina and Texas. But it won't be easy.
Route Fifty
1-in-4 Adults Say Household Finances Deteriorated From March to September
New survey data from the Urban Institute presents these and other troubling findings about how many Americans are faring economically as the coronavirus pandemic wears on.
Workforce
Federal Employees Donate $1.8M in Presidential Race, Mostly to Biden
Those contributing to Trump’s campaign overwhelmingly came from the Defense and Homeland Security departments.
Nextgov
DOD’s First Agreement with Accreditation Body on Contractor Cybersecurity Nears End
Lead official grapples with the challenge of resourcing a federally funded research and development center to act as a gateway for the Pentagon’s certification program.
Management
Global Media Agency CEO Revokes Regulation Clarifying ‘Firewall’ Protecting Journalistic Integrity
The move is at most symbolic and a "weird Hail Mary" days ahead of the presidential election, said a whistleblower attorney.
Management
Union Sues and Democrats Introduce Bill to Block Trump Order Politicizing Civil Service
As opponents of the president’s effort to convert chunks of the federal workforce into at-will employees kick off their efforts to stop the initiative, the administration has signaled that agencies can push forward ahead of schedule.
Nextgov
Lawmaker Proposes Federal Institute of Technology and New Contracting Set-Aside
The 21st Century Jobs Package would create a federal agency for training the workforce of the future and incentivize federal contracting officials to buy from vendors who hire rural American workers.
Management
It’s Time to Fix the Frayed Relationships Feds Have With States and Localities
Program implementation is as important as underlying policy. A new focus on intergovernmental collaboration could foster innovation and improve outcomes.
Management
Pamela Wright On Leading Digital Innovation at the National Archives
“Do not fall for the stereotype that government work is sleepy, bureaucratic paper pushing,” she says.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Nearly Half of Americans Say Federal Government Has Gotten Worse at Pandemic Response
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Defense
What Clinton’s Foreign Affairs Article May Mean for the Defense Budget
Her approach, more rebalancing rather than modernizing, avoids a simple zero-sum frame of defense vs. non-defense spending.
Management
GovExec Daily: Changing Governance Models and the Pandemic
Dr. Alasdair Roberts joins the podcast to discuss how the Reagan-Clinton model comes up short in crises.
Route Fifty
State and Local Leaders Raise Concerns About Remote Work Hurting Productivity
Government finance and administrative officials responding to a recent survey also said that their departments have taken on more work during the coronavirus pandemic.
Management
Despite Struggling With Widespread Mail Delays, USPS Is Processing More Ballots On Time
The Postal Service is processing election mail faster than mail writ large.
Nextgov
VA Launches New Electronic Health Record Platform Amid a Pandemic, Wildfires and Citywide Power Outages
Nature seemed to be against the Veterans Affairs Department’s new EHR system. But officials are reporting a “flawless” cutover for the first deployment.
Management