Defense
Still 'Acting' Shanahan Faces Test With China Face-off and USS McCain Scandal
Raising the stakes for the would-be SecDef, the White House has not yet sent formal nomination paperwork to the Senate.
Route Fifty
Federal Judge is Latest to Toss Lawsuit Seeking Union Fee Refunds
Across the country, unions have been able to argue they were following laws in place when they were collecting "agency" and "fair-share" fees, prior to a 2018 Supreme Court ruling.
Oversight
GSA Failed to Remove Toxic Materials From Federal Facility Going Back Decades, Union Says
Dozens of studies have shown hazardous materials at the former munitions plant turned federal office building and child care center. Union alleges whistleblower retaliation.
Management
Justice Dept. Rejects New Evidence of False Testimony on Census Citizenship Question
Statement rejects claims of a political motive for adding the question.
Management
Over 200 Allegations of Abuse of Migrant Children; 1 Case of Homeland Security Disciplining Someone
A federal judge found the department’s own records disturbing and ordered the names of the accused agents made public. Now, DHS has taken its fight against doing so to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Nextgov
HHS Splits $49M AI, Automation Contract Evenly Between Small, Large Businesses
The Intelligent Automation/Artificial Intelligence contract is ready for HHS buyers, though officials have plans to grow the business.
Route Fifty
Trade Groups, Lawmakers Deride Trump’s Mexico Tariff Plan
The escalation of tariffs would add $17 billion in new taxes at the 5 percent rate and $86 billion at the 25 percent rate.
Management
Union, Lawmakers Vow Fight to Stop Forest Service Layoffs
Capitol Hill reportedly was caught off guard by the Labor and Agriculture department announcement that officials planned to shutter Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers.
Nextgov
DHS Needs to Set Guardrails for Its Expanded Insider Threat Program
As the department starts monitoring activity on unclassified networks, officials need to update policies and procedures to keep the program effective and constitutional.
Management
Senior Executives Association Teams Up with Freelance Gig Exchange
Collaboration aims to broaden opportunities for agency subject-matter experts.
Pay & Benefits
What You Need to Know About TSP's New Withdrawal Options
Changes coming in mid-September will allow participants more flexibility in how they take money out of their retirement savings accounts.
Route Fifty
A City Considers Criminalizing Racially-Motivated 911 Calls
In Grand Rapids, Michigan, the city commissioners are considering an ordinance that would make it a misdemeanor to call the police on people of color for “participating in their lives.”
Nextgov
Inside USDA's Farmer-First Approach to Digital Transformation
The department is mixing technology with human-centered design to produce a better experience for its customers.
Oversight
J. Edgar Hoover’s Revenge: Information The FBI Once Hoped Could Destroy Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Has Been Declassified
Publication was justified of information from the FBI that Martin Luther King Jr. witnessed and celebrated a woman’s rape, writes a historian, who warns the FBI had long wanted to destroy King.
Nextgov
CBP’s Airport Facial Recognition ‘Is Not a Surveillance Program’
As the public grows wary of facial recognition, the head of CBP’s biometric entry and exit initiative says the agency is using the tech responsibly.
Management
The IRS Now Audits Poor Americans at About the Same Rate as the Top 1%
As the agency’s ability to audit the rich crumbles, its scrutiny of the poor has held steady in recent years. Meanwhile, a new study shows that audits of poor taxpayers make them far less likely to claim credits they might be entitled to.
Route Fifty
To Curb Trashcan Clutter, a City Will Try Stowing Waste Underground
Raleigh, North Carolina is looking to improve on “the old school model” it uses to handle waste from downtown businesses.
Route Fifty
Lawmakers Approve Two-Week Flood Insurance Extension
Congress is under pressure to overhaul the National Flood Insurance Program amid cost and coverage concerns, but has been unable to secure permanent reauthorization of the program.
Nextgov
NSA Deflects Blame for Baltimore Ransomware Attack
The city of Baltimore had more than two years to defend itself against the attack, and it’s officials’ fault they dropped the ball, according to NSA cyber chief Rob Joyce.
Oversight