Route Fifty
Face Masks ‘Significantly Reduce’ Spread of Covid-19, Study Finds
“The effect is greatest when 100% of the public wear face masks,” researchers wrote, suggesting that officials should encourage people to cover their faces in public.
Route Fifty
Is It Time to Create a National Registry of Police Misconduct?
Police officers who are fired for misconduct can often find law enforcement jobs in different jurisdictions. Some lawmakers think a national registry could prevent cops with shady records from being hired again.
Oversight
Democrats Propose Requiring Federal Law Enforcement Officers to Identify Themselves During Protests
“Transparency is a building block of public trust and federal law enforcement officials who hid their identities were not serving the public's interest,” said one lawmaker.
Nextgov
NASA Taps Astrobotic to Deliver its Water-Searching VIPER Rover to the Moon
Insiders offered a look at what the forthcoming missions aim to accomplish.
Nextgov
Who Should Lead AI Development: Data Scientists or Domain Experts?
Leaders in and around government debate whether technologists or subject matter experts are better suited to lead the ethical development of artificial intelligence.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Pentagon To Enter First Phase of Reopening; Biden Outlines His Plan to Restart Economy if Elected
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Tech
The Pandemic Is Spurring Adoption of Emerging Technologies
The long-term impact for agencies is likely to be profound.
Defense
Pentagon Starts Bailing Out Companies That Have Lost Business Due to Coronavirus
The Defense Department is sending millions of dollars to keep companies afloat, and more deals are expected.
Workforce
How the Pandemic Upended Our Perception of Time
Research funded by the National Science Foundation shows the extent to which Americans' internal clocks went haywire.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: An Accountability and Oversight Update
Nextgov’s Frank Konkel and GovExec’s Courtney Bublé cover the latest news on inspectors general and the Trump administration.
Oversight
'I Can’t Speak Negatively About the President,' Says Official Charged With Stimulus Oversight
President Donald Trump’s purge of watchdogs is on the mind of one of the newly hired officials charged with overseeing the more than $2 trillion CARES Act.
Route Fifty
A Governor Proposes Furlough Days, Some Layoffs to Help Balance Budget
Nevada is looking for ways to bridge a massive revenue shortfall brought on by the coronavirus.
Management
Election Assistance Commission Regains Permanent Leaders In Top Positions
After nearly eight months, the agency now has a permanent executive director and general counsel.
Management
Watchdog: HUD Telework During the Pandemic Has Been Mostly Successful
A survey of employees found that the department was well prepared to move its workforce to full-time telework, although there were some hiccups around paper-based processes.
Route Fifty
From Jacksonville to Louisville, Confederate Statues Are Coming Down
Calls to remove the statues, denounced as symbols of white supremacy, were reignited in the wake of national protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
Workforce
DHS to Begin Sending Furlough Notices to 15,000 Employees Next Week
Immigration agency is set to start 30-day RIFs for three-quarters of its workforce next month absent congressional intervention.
Nextgov
Energy Explores the Potential of an Artificial Intelligence Grand Challenge
The department’s new AI-focused office highlighted its intent to “push the frontiers” of AI development.
Nextgov
Federal Tech Leaders Outline How Agencies Need to Adapt to the Changing Workforce
Old hiring methods and assumptions won’t hold up in the future, according to a new report from the Federal CIO Council.
Workforce