Route Fifty
Too Many Drugs, Too Little Data
COMMENTARY | Unlike other states, Massachusetts leaders relied on data—crucial in developing policies, but too often not available—to guide their decision to begin allowing medication-assisted treatment for drug addiction in jails.
Oversight
House Passes Bill to Boost Civil Rights at Homeland Security
Legislation follows surge of whistleblowers saying civil rights office has been neutered under Trump.
Workforce
Maryland Senator Says President is the 'Wild Card' in Spending Negotiations
While Democrats and Republicans negotiate on appropriations, it’s unclear how the president will react.
Nextgov
GAO Handbook Helps Answer Whether That New Tech Is Right For Your Agency
The handbook outlines how the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics Office prepares reports for Congress, but the principles can be applied to any organization looking at new technologies.
Nextgov
What Veterans Affairs Aims to Accomplish Through Its Artificial Intelligence Institute
The agency plans to streamline and advance its AI efforts to better meet veterans’ needs.
Management
Viewpoint: If the Witnesses Could Exonerate Trump, Why Aren’t They Testifying?
Trump’s defenders suggest that White House aides could exculpate the president—but the evidence suggests otherwise.
Route Fifty
Honolulu Passes Strict Single-Use Plastics Ban
The Honolulu City Council last week passed a sweeping single-use plastics ban that affects the entire island of Oahu, home to 70 percent of Hawaii residents.
Route Fifty
Uber Sexual Assault Report Spurs Calls for New Government Policies
New data released by Uber showing almost 6,000 sexual assaults in last two years is prompting some officials to call for new requirements on ride-hailing companies to improve safety.
Pay & Benefits
White House, Democrats Reach Deal to Provide Paid Family Leave to Feds
A tentative agreement on the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act would provide all federal employees with 12 weeks of paid family leave each year.
Management
Performance Data Has Value Only When It's Used
Government employees learn very early there is an unwritten job description that delimits what they are expected to do.
Tech
FAA to Decommission Decades-Old System that Keeps Pilots Up to Date on Hazardous Weather
It’s all part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to modernize the services it provides.
Management
Former Fed Chairman and Public Service Champion Paul Volcker Dies at 92
His career spanned five decades and seven presidents.
Oversight
Analysis: Courts Have Avoided Refereeing Between Congress and the President, but Trump May Force Them to Wade In
President Trump refuses to provide information to lawmakers in the impeachment inquiry. But courts have been reluctant to take such cases for fear of upsetting the government's balance of power.
Defense
The Space Force Appears Cleared For Launch
Lawmakers hint that bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act will create a new military branch.
Management
ACLU Files Suit To Stop Immigration Pilot Programs
The programs deny asylum seekers access to adequate counsel before key interviews with immigration officers, the lawsuit alleges.
Route Fifty
This State Found $117,000 in Double Payments Through Data Analytics
Ohio developed a tool to review all state agencies’ payment transactions from January through September and found 56 duplicate payments worth more than $117,000.
Management
Senate Committee Considers Trump’s Deregulation Crusader for Top Regulatory Role
At the same time, one of the administration's key initiatives to cut red tape is being challenged in court.
Management
Bipartisan Bill Would Hold USPS Accountable for Opioids Trafficked Through the Mail
A recently passed law to address the crisis has demonstrated mixed results.
Nextgov
FAA to Decommission Decades-Old System that Keeps Pilots Up to Date on Hazardous Weather
It’s all part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to modernize the services it provides.
Nextgov