Oversight
GovExec Daily: How Officials Can Fight Disinformation About COVID-19
Emma Coleman joins the podcast to discuss the ways governments can refute conspiracy theories that come up during crises like the pandemic.
Management
White House Directs Agencies to Plan for Presidential Transition
Under the law, agencies have until Friday to designate career officials to oversee planning.
Route Fifty
Pelosi Raises Possibility of Local Funding On Top of $500 Billion for States
The House speaker’s comments come amid partisan sparring over how far the federal government should go to help states and localities facing big revenue shortfalls due to the coronavirus.
Nextgov
Protect Patient Data During COVID-19 Outbreak, Federal Agencies Warn
The Defense Department, FBI and other agencies offer steps on how care facilities can secure personal health information.
Workforce
More Than 10,000 Federal Employees Have Contracted COVID-19
The number of positive cases in the federal workforce has more than quadrupled since early April.
Pay & Benefits
House Republicans Propose Federal Hiring, Pay Initiatives to Combat COVID-19
The Republican Study Committee said Congress should streamline the hiring process for federal workers, as well as change the pay system to allow higher compensation for “high skilled” workers.
Nextgov
IG: VA Knew Infrastructure Upgrades Wouldn’t Meet Timeline For March Health Records Rollout
Severe staffing shortages, infighting and lack of comprehensive planning for infrastructure improvements would have handicapped the multibillion-dollar project, the inspector general said.
Oversight
Did He Talk About Her? VA Secretary Changes His Story Amid Allegations He Sought Dirt on House Staffer.
Robert Wilkie is under investigation after a complaint that he sought information to discredit a House staffer who said she was sexually assaulted in a VA hospital. Wilkie denied discussing her with Rep. Dan Crenshaw. But an email indicates he did.
Workforce
Coronavirus Roundup: Justice Dept. ‘On the Lookout’ for Civil Liberties Violations; SBA Site Crashes During Second Rollout
There's a lot to keep track of. Here’s today’s list of news updates and stories you may have missed.
Employee Policy
Telework stymied by administration rollbacks, Connolly says
The Trump administration's efforts to keep the federal government operational during the COVID-19 pandemic was hindered by early decisions to roll back telework programs, according to Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), the chairman of the Government Operations subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee.
Defense
Pentagon’s Esper Was Too Slow With Coronavirus Response, Senate Democrats Say
In a letter, lawmakers accuse the secretary of Defense of causing confusion, showing "dangerous misunderstanding" of the virus, and harming readiness.
Management
Analysis: No Testing, No Treatment, No Herd Immunity, No Easy Way Out
We need to start preparing for a darker reality.
Employee Policy
Recalled IRS staff told to bring their own PPE
The tax agency is putting distancing measures into place and requiring employees to bring their own face coverings to work until facilities can procure personal protective equipment for employees.
Management
Humans Are Too Optimistic to Comprehend the Coronavirus
Why Americans didn’t see this pandemic coming.
Management
GovExec Daily: The Pandemic's Effect on the Census
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to discuss how the decennial count – along with other government programs – is affected.
Route Fifty
Fed Expands Lending Program to Include More Counties and Cities
New guidelines for the initiative lower the population threshold for local governments to qualify, and allow for short-term debt to be repaid over a lengthier 36-month timeframe.
Management
Federal Employee Union Proposes Preconditions to Returning to Government Work Sites
The American Federation of Government Employees last week called the Trump administration’s recently unveiled plans for “reopening” the federal government “premature and imprudent.”
Nextgov
Zoom or Not? NSA Offers Agencies Guidance for Choosing Videoconference Tools.
The agency weighs in on the questions federal employees and contractors should ask as they select collaboration platforms.
Oversight
IG Veteran Named Executive Director of Pandemic Oversight Committee
The $2.2 trillion CARES Act established the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee.
Nextgov