Tech
NASA Will Go Looking for Alien Life
The agency plans to launch a spacecraft to Titan, a moon of Saturn with some crucial ingredients for habitability.
Route Fifty
Pennsylvania Becomes First State to Use Automated System to Expunge Criminal Records
After passing the country’s first ‘clean slate’ bill, Pennsylvania is debuting a system that will automatically clear the records of all who are eligible.
Management
Play of the Day: Joe Biden Doesn't Want to Pass the Torch
The Democrats debated on Thursday and the former vice president was the centerpiece of the discussion.
Defense
Lawmaker: Human Problem at Pentagon Worse than Tech Problem
Rep. Jim Cooper says Congress shouldn’t accept a government topped by acting political appointees.
Management
OPM Still Lacks Legal Analysis of Proposed Merger with GSA
Lawmakers in both parties expressed outrage at the lack of documents provided to support the Trump administration’s proposal.
Nextgov
Spy Agencies Turn to AI to Stay Ahead of Adversaries
In a world where everyone can collect data on everything, speedy analysis could make or break U.S. national security, a top intelligence official says.
Management
Senate Chairman Presses HHS to Do a Better Job of Curbing Medicaid Fraud
Seema Verma highlights CMS’s two-year-old focus on preventing improper payments.
Workforce
Trump Administration Threatens to Make Employees Work Without Pay Over Border Funding Shortfall
Congress may act in time to provide emergency funding, but some damage may already be done.
Route Fifty
One State's Plans to Expand Connected Vehicle Technology
More cars and trucks that can communicate with roadside sensors are expected to roll off assembly lines in the coming years.
Management
Vast Majority of Staffers at Agriculture Research Agency Reject Relocation
Union blames "aggressive timeline" of move from D.C. to Kansas City.
Defense
Security Clearance Backlog Drops By Nearly 40%
Attention is shifting to processing times and rolling out continuous evaluation to the entire clearance population.
Defense
Democrats Couldn’t Agree on Top National-Security Threats
The candidates’ different answers reflect the Democratic Party’s deeper divisions on foreign policy.
Management
One Way to Make the Green New Deal Actually Happen: a Super-Ministry
To administer the Green New Deal, combine Interior, Energy, Housing & Urban Development, and Transportation to create a new Department of Cities and Regions.
Management
Play of the Day: The First Democratic Debate Featured Two Languages
In Miami, Beto O'Rourke and Cory Booker spoke Spanish.
Nextgov
Shifting Priorities, Metrics Lead To Relatively Flat FITARA Grades
The latest scorecard showed agencies are making progress in key areas. But new metrics and a few backslides brought most grades back down.
Management
House Approves 3.1% Pay Raise and Blocks OPM Furloughs, Merger
Lawmakers dealt the Trump administration’s proposal to merge OPM and GSA another setback.
Management
Agencies Meet Small Business Contract Goals
Eight receive an A+ procurement rating, the Small Business Administration says.
Oversight
Special Counsel Defends Career Staff as Panel Subpoenas Trump Counselor Over Hatch Act Violations
Kellyanne Conway’s no-show at a House hearing prompts partisan-tinged questioning of Special Counsel Henry Kerner.
Pay & Benefits