Oversight
Viewpoint: The Case Against 'Emolument'
The word is outdated. Why not use plain language instead?
Oversight
Judge Orders State Department to Begin Producing Ukraine-Related Documents
Order comes in response to an oversight watchdog’s lawsuit.
Management
We Have the Tools and Technology to Work Less and Live Better
Keynes was almost right about the 15-hour working week of the future: we could live as well even on half those hours.
Defense
Trump Declares Victory in Syria, Claims Credit for It All
“Let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained sand,” the president says, as Congress fumes.
Oversight
Play of the Day: What the Storming of the Hearing Room Really Looked Like
When a group of Republican Congressmen storm a hearing, there are lots of comparisons.
Tech
As Secret Pentagon Spending Rises, Defense Firms Cash in
Classified spending has edged up faster than overall defense budget requests, and accounts for nearly 11 percent of the $716 billion proposed for 2020.
Management
The Trump Administration Says It Has Violated Its Own Ethics Pledge
We found multiple Trump ethics pledge violations hidden in a little-noticed government report. They show inappropriate actions by government employees, lobbyists and former business clients.
Route Fifty
Dollar Value of Outdoor Recreation For Each State Detailed in New Data
More states in recent years have been devoting special attention to the outdoor recreation economy. The figures help show its size.
Workforce
Homeland Security Says It Will Dramatically Increase Asylum Workforce by Year's End
The Trump administration has struggled to handle a growing backlog of cases and declining workforce morale.
Route Fifty
Mayors Call For Solar Tax Credit Extension
Citing job growth and investment in the green economy, 231 mayors are calling on Congress to extend renewable energy tax credits through 2027.
Route Fifty
How Cities Can Cool Down Urban Heat Islands
Growth and climate change are warming cities. Local leaders can consider a variety of approaches to reduce temperatures.
Pay & Benefits
Personnel Agency Demands Data on Use of Union Official Time, Telework
A weekly roundup of pay and benefits news.
Nextgov
House Committee Advances Bill to Expand DHS Cyber Monitoring Program
As state and local governments face rising cyber threats, the legislation would give them free access to the tools provided under the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program.
Oversight
Watchdog: EPA ‘Effectively Managed’ Hurricane Harvey Relief Funds
Inspector general finds EPA handled $11 million in FEMA funds appropriately, corrected issues found in previous investigations.
Management
The Forest Service Is About to Set a Giant Forest Fire—On Purpose
A man-made blaze on a remote Utah mountainside could provide valuable insights into the behavior of the powerful wildfires growing more and more common out West.
Nextgov
How the Government Helped Google Reach Quantum Supremacy
Insiders from both the tech giant and the government detailed how the breakthrough was made possible through public-private collaboration.
Route Fifty
The Places Where ‘Food Insecurity’ Is Most Severe
Data that a think-tank published this week shows where the challenges are greatest, along with some of the underlying factors that can make it difficult for people to afford food.
Management
Election Assistance Agency Loses Its Top Leaders
The bipartisan and independent agency also faces pushback from advocacy organizations and potential funding shortages.
Management
Trump’s Asylum Ban Could Apply Retroactively to Thousands of Migrants Even Though Officials Promised It Wouldn’t
The Trump administration promised that asylum-seekers who already had U.S. cases, but had been forced to return to Mexico to await court dates, could still get asylum. That might not be the case.
Management