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Mayors Ask Trump Administration to Scrap Plan to Let Cities and States Block Refugees
A coalition of 88 mayors sent a letter to the State Department decrying President Trump’s executive order, which they said would “lead to a patchwork of conflicting policies.”
Oversight
Maloney Takes On Oversight Committee Chairmanship at a Critical Time
“It’s an incredibly difficult time to forecast the role of oversight on Capitol Hill,” says one expert.
Nextgov
After Two Years In Limbo, FEMA Cancels $250M IT Support Contract
The single-award contract was created to help the emergency management agency manage its IT. Now, that work will be spread across existing staff and contracts.
Pay & Benefits
Viewpoint: Let’s Keep a Level Playing Field for TSP Investors
Participants in the federal employee retirement savings program deserve the same investment options as other Americans.
Oversight
Viewpoint: As the Rich Get Richer, the Ambassadors Get Worse
Gordon Sondland embodies an age-old problem—one that the flood of donor money into American politics is only exacerbating.
Management
Trump EPA Eases Safety Requirements Enacted after West Explosion
Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the new rules, saying they would make Texans safer. The Obama-era regulation was meant to improve chemical safety practices and prevent tragedies like the deadly 2013 fertilizer plant explosion in the tiny Central Texas town of West.
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The Troubling Decline in City Revenue Growth
COMMENTARY | The economy continues to grow, yet cities anticipate revenue problems. How can both be true?
Nextgov
Amazon’s JEDI Protest Centers on President Trump
President Trump's public remarks are part of Amazon's legal protest of the Pentagon's JEDI decision.
Route Fifty
State AG to Investigate Findings of Discrimination by Realtors
A multi-year investigation by Newsday found a range of troubling practices by real estate agents on Long Island, New York.
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Amid Crackdowns on Homeless People Living Outside, Group Appeals Food Sharing Case
Food Not Bombs is appealing the latest ruling in a case that challenged restrictions on sharing food with the homeless in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Management
Lawmakers Demand Explanation for Social Security Telework Cuts
Friday marked the final day of a six-year-old telework pilot program for roughly 12,000 employees of the Social Security Administration’s operations agencies, after Commissioner Andrew Saul summarily ended it.
Management
'You Spoke, We Listened': How HHS Rapidly Improved Employee Viewpoint Survey Participation
Top HR officials made a year-round effort to highlight how the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey shapes the department.
Pay & Benefits
OPM Is Planning Major Changes for Temporary and Seasonal Federal Employees
Changes would enable them to stay in government longer and provide new benefits.
Nextgov
DHS Leadership Turnover Extends Beyond Secretary’s Office
The rotating cast of officials in top tech and cyber jobs could hinder the department’s ability to develop and execute a consistent digital strategy.
Nextgov
NIST Is Offering $6M For Technical Help With Its Smart Grid, IoT Research
The standards agency is building a contract for technical services in support of its cyber-physical systems research.
Oversight
Presidential Candidate Klobuchar Would Reform Election-Related Agencies
The Democratic senator and 2020 contender has been an election reform advocate in Congress and the few times the topic has come up during the primary debates.
Management
The Trump Administration Gutted the Staff Overseeing $1 Billion in Aid to Iraq. A Watchdog Is Raising Red Flags.
A new report warns that USAID may not be able to effectively oversee $1.16 billion in foreign aid to Iraq — including to Christian groups Vice President Mike Pence’s office favored — after the administration cut much of its on-the-ground staff.
Management
Laboratories of Democracy in Action: Investing in What Works
The mere availability of information is not enough to get policy makers to actually use it.
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With Overall State Spending Up, Transportation Sees Notable Gains
At least 18 states raised spending on transportation programs by 10% or more in fiscal 2019, based on estimates in a new report.
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